When I was in High School on the track team, there was one type of injury I heard mentioned often; shin splints. No one ever explained what shin splints really were, but from the way all the other girls talked about them it sounded pretty common condition that happened to runners. For some it turned out to be a minor annoyance, while for others, the shin splints caused much pain that required some time off from running.

As with any sports injury ice, rest and elevation are the best remedies for healing. Keeping ice over the injured area will help reduce any inflammation. To reduce swelling and fluid buildup, keep the limb elevated, and to deal with any pain you can take some ibuprofen.

Perhaps the best treatment for shin splints is prevention. There are a number of exercises that you can do which will strengthen the calf and muscles surrounding your shin. Calf raises, lunges, and a wide range of weight exercises on a power sled will help to build a solid muscle mass around your shin and calf. This increase in strength and stability will enhance your body’s ability to take some abuse and greatly decreases the possibility that the shin splints will be a recurring injury.

If, after several weeks of rest, ice, and elevation you are still experiencing sharp pain when you try to run, it may be time to see a doctor. There is another overuse injury that has similar symptoms, but which may require additional treatment. Stress fractures are painful, and typically require a much longer recovery time. If you allow your shin splint to go unchecked, they can often be the pre-cursor to a stress fracture, so don’t let them linger without some kind of treatment.

You may also find some temporary pain relief by stretching well. It can be difficult to find a good stretch to use that you feel is working the front of your lower leg, but by stretching the quadriceps (the front of your thigh), then you are also relieving a lot of the tightness in your shin. The muscles are all connected by tendons and when the quad relaxes, so does everything that is tied to it. You can easily stretch you quads by grabbing one foot and pulling it up behind you. If you have a hard time balancing on one foot, stand next to a wall and use your free hand to balance yourself. You can make the stretch even more efficient for a shin splint by pulling back your toes as you have your leg bent behind you.

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