Prevention, rather than cure, should always
be your first aim. I was very surprised when researching this
topic at the number of articles that totally neglected any mention
of preventative measures. They all talked of treatment and cure,
but only one out of twenty took the time to address the issue
of prevention in any detail.
Even before any sign of shin soreness appears
there are a number of simple preventative measures that can
be easily implemented.
Since about half of all lower leg problems are
caused by biomechanics inefficiencies, it makes sense to get
the right advice on footwear. Your feet are the one area you
should not "skimp" on. The best advice I can give
you concerning footwear, is to go and see a qualified podiatrist
for a complete foot-strike, or gait analysis. They will be able
to tell you if there are any concerns regarding the way your
foot-strike or gait is functioning.
After your foot-strike has been analysed, have
your podiatrist, or competent sports footwear sales person recommend
a number of shoes that suit your requirements. Good quality
footwear will go a long way in helping to prevent many lower
leg problems.
Apart from good footwear, what else can you
do? I believe the following three preventative measures are
not only very effective, but crucial.
Firstly, a thorough and correct warm
up will help to prepare the muscles and tendons for any activity
to come. Without a proper warm up the muscles and tendons will
be tight and stiff. There will be limited blood flow to the
lower legs, which will result in a lack of oxygen and nutrients
for those muscles.
Before any activity be sure to thoroughly warm
up all the muscles and tendons that will be used during your
sport or activity.
Secondly, flexible muscles are extremely
important in the prevention of most lower leg injuries. When
muscles and tendons are flexible and supple, they are able to
move and perform without being over stretched. If however, your
muscles and tendons are tight and stiff, it is quite easy for
those muscles and tendons to be pushed beyond their natural
range of movement.
To keep your muscles and tendons flexible and
supple, it is important to undertake a structured stretching
routine. For a comprehensive reference of over 100 clear photographs
of every possible sports related stretch, consider getting a
copy of The Stretching Handbook. If you're interested in stretches
for the lower legs, The Stretching Handbook has 22 different
stretches you can do. Order your copy now!
And thirdly, strengthening and conditioning
the muscles of the lower leg will also help to prevent shin
splints. There are a number of specific strengthening exercises
you can do for these muscles, but instead of me going into the
details here, I have simply found another web site that has
already done all the hard work. It explains a number of exercises
you can do for preventing shin splints. You can find these strengthening
exercises by going to http://www.watfxc.com/TF/TF%20Education/shin_splints.htm.
The above-mentioned article is the only other
article I found which included a comprehensive section on shin
splint prevention. If you're only interested in the strengthening
exercises, you'll find them towards the end of the article.
If however, you suffer from shin splints or you're looking for
more information on shin splints, I recommend you read the entire
article.
How to Treat Shin Splints!
Firstly, be sure to remove the cause of the
problem. Whether is be a biomechanical problem, or an overload
problem, make sure steps are taken to remove the cause.
The basic treatment for shin splints is no different
to most other soft tissue injuries. Immediately following the
onset of any shin pain, the R.I.C.E.R. regime should be applied.
This involves Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and Referral
to an appropriate professional for an accurate diagnosis. It
is critical that the R.I.C.E.R. regime be implemented for at
least the first 48 to 72 hours. Doing this will give you the
best possible chance of a complete and full recovery.
The next phase of treatment (after the first
48 to 72 hours) involves a number of physiotherapy techniques.
The application of heat and massage is one of the most effective
treatments for speeding up the healing process of the muscles
and tendons.
I have found, both from personal experience
and from working with many clients, that this form of treatment
is the most effective. The application of heat and deep tissue
massage on the effected area seems to bring the best results.
If you suffer from shin splints, be sure to spend at least a
few minutes massaging the effected area both before and after
you exercise.
Once most of the pain has been reduced, it is
time to move onto the rehabilitation phase of your treatment.
The main aim of this phase it to regain the strength, power,
endurance and flexibility of the muscle and tendons that have
been injured.
