You should call your healthcare provider if your shin pain is severe or doesn’t go away after a few weeks of rest. Call your provider if your legs are very swollen, red or painful. These symptoms could mean you have an infection or another condition. What questions should I ask my healthcare provider? Some people are more likely to get shin splints than others. Your choices about exercise can also put you at more risk for shin splints. Risk factors for shin splints include:

Shin splints often result from repetitive stress, which causes small tears in the bone, connective tissue, and muscles of the leg. While it's possible to develop stress injuries even while maintaining a balanced gait, exercising with poor form increases your risk of injury. When a person exercises without proper alignment, they put additional strain on the musculoskeletal system with each step. Microtears can develop over the course of a single workout, causing significant discomfort. Common defects such as overpronation and forefoot varus have been linked to a greater incidence of shin pain ( Bates 135 ). If you continue to exercise without correcting your form, the microtears in your tendons, muscles, and bones are likely to worsen.

Do Compression Socks REALLY Work?

Side effects from NSAIDs are rare but can occur. They usually happen only after you’ve taken the medication for a long time. You should use the lowest dose for the shortest time to minimize side effects. When you increase your activity level again after the break, remember to increase it Otherwise, the condition of shin splints can return. Runners – the risk increases with a sudden increase in the running regime and by running on uneven surfaces.

Wilder, Robert P, and Shikha Sethi. “Overuse injuries: tendinopathies, stress fractures, compartment syndrome, and shin splints.” Clinics in sports medicine, vol. 23, iss. 1, 2004, pp. 55-81, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-5919(03)00085-1 . With an easy-on, easy-off design, we were impressed that the band stayed in place while we sat down and stood up multiple times. We found they offered light, comfortable compression—although we did notice that after around eight hours of wear, the material started to feel itchy. If you belong to any of the following set of people, you are at a higher risk of getting shin splints: People with a structural abnormality of feet – For example, flat feet, rigid, or high arches. With these abnormalities, the force on the legs doesn’t get distributed evenly in muscles and bones. It is not recommended that you wear two compression garments over one another. This can cause too much compression or not distribute the compression appropriately. You could end up restricting blood flow rather than promoting it. More isn’t always better, even when treating shin splints.Shin splints occur when the shinbone and connected muscle tissues are overworked. This overuse pulls and burdens muscle tissues and bones and ultimately becomes the cause of pain and irritation. You can feel these sensations of sharp pain and discomfort in your lower leg when you walk or run. People at High Risk of Getting Shin Splints Shin stretches. Stand with a hand against the wall. Bend your knee and use your other hand to pull your foot until you feel a stretch along your shin. Hold for 15-30 seconds three times. The most common symptom of shin splints is lower leg pain. The pain can range from mild to severe, and your shin bone may be tender to the touch. Mild swelling may occur, as well. What do shin splints feel like? A biomechanical assessment by a specialist can identify issues with gait and foot mechanics, which may need to be corrected to prevent shin splints. Rest: Take a break from sports, running and other activities to give your muscles and bones a chance to recover. You may need to rest and take it easy for a few weeks or longer.