How to treat shin splints in runners?
Shin splints, also referred to as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS), is one of the most noticed or common conditions in runners. Athletes have often complained about this. This is a condition in which the pain around the front of the lower shin worsens while running or exercising. Shin splints appear if you overuse it or run excessively.
You may prefer opting for shin splint therapy that can help to ease the pain. If you have been suffering from pain around your shin area, it is essential that you reach out to a physiotherapist. The physiotherapists will conduct a medical examination and also check your medical history to determine how it developed and what contributes towards the worsening. Nonetheless, if you have had any previous injuries, you need to be vocal about it too.
Shin splints can be extremely uncomfortable and can pain a lot. You must get in touch with physiotherapists who can help to manage the discomfort and pain.
If you have been a victim of shin splints for a long time, your physiotherapist may ask you to conduct a few exercises that can help to ease the pain. Some of the prominent tips to ease shin splints include the following.
- Rest
One of the most common reasons for worsening shin splints is overuse. Resting for a relative period of time can help to ease the pain. Before you start running, you should prefer resting for a short period of time. Also, when you start running again, you need to start slow and run for smaller distances. Rather than jumping, it would help if you moved straight. Your relative resting period should extend up to 3 weeks. After three weeks, you can start running once a week and then proceed.
- Cross-Training
Apart from running, you will need to ensure that you include other exercises in your schedule too. Some of the prominent cross-training exercises that can be a part of your routine to ease the pain include cycling, rowing, and even elliptical running. Shin splints occur due to running on hard surfaces. It would help if you replaced running with other forms of exercise so that you can manage the symptoms accordingly.
- Ice
Applying ice on shin splints and affected areas can play an important role in ensuring reducing pain around the area. You can freeze water in one small paper cup and roll it across your shin so that it can ease your pain. It will play an important role in easing pain around the affected area.
The experts at Integral Performance Physio can play an important role in easing the pain. They carry out different procedures of healing shin splints.
