Shin Splints Research Paper

hin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), are a very broad term for conditions that cause lower leg pain. Many people that participate in sports are prone to shin splints. For instance, track, soccer, and cross-country runners are prone to getting the painful injury. The most common cause of shin splints is a sudden increase in running distance or an increased intensity of a workout. Working out and running on hard surfaces is also shown to be a cause for the injury. Shin splints are caused by the inflammation of the muscles in the lower leg as well as the muscles that help to move the foot and the bone covering of the tibia. The pain is usually gradual but can become disabling if not treated. People who tend to have bad running form are prone to getting shin splints. One of the worst elements of bad running form is inward foot rotation. Athletes need to make …show more content…
The number one way to heal shin splints is to rest and not do any strenuous exercises. The shin pain is usually only present during weight bearing activities. The lower legs need time for the inflammation to go down, and if there are stress fractures they too need time to heal. Icing the shins also helps with swelling and inflammation and may also reduce the pain. Taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin helps pain and swelling. Physical therapy is recommended for people whose shin splints do not seem to go away. If a person heals fully before continuing to do strenuous exercises then he or she should have a very good prognosis and not get shin splints again as long as all the precautions are taken to keep the legs healthy. A person can tell if they are fully healed from shin splints by checking to see if the legs are fully flexible and at full strength again as well as being able to run without being in any pain. A doctor can also take follow up x-rays to make sure the stress fractures have properly