Shin splints or medial tibial stresssyndrome is a very common cause of exertional leg pain in an athlete such as-professional runners, football players, hockey players, cricket players, etc.Medial tibial stress syndrome/shin splints is an overuse/repetitive stressinjury of the shin.
Medial tibial stress syndrome/shinsplints occur due to periostitis of the tibia which is caused due to tibialstrain under a load. Periostitis is a condition of inflammation of the outercovering of the tibia bone that is periosteum. Periostitis starts withinflammation of the tendon that is tendinitis > progress toward periostitis> progressing toward the remodeling of periosteum > leads to stressreaction of the tibia.
Medial tibial stress syndrome/shinsplints are associated with muscular imbalance as well as dysfunction of threeimportant tendons that is- tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, and soleus.
Medial tibial stress syndrome/shinsplints if not treated well on time then it can cause some biomechanicalabnormalities such as- Genu varum or valgus, tibial torsion, femoralanteversion, limb length discrepancy, foot abnormalities, ankle & thesubtalar joint dysfunction or hyper pronation, flat foot, etc.
Medial tibial stress syndrome/ shinsplints have the following sigh and symptoms- vague and diffuse pain along witha middle and distal third of lower leg with exertion, pain is worse at thebeginning of exercise & gradually subsides within minutes of stopping ofthe exercises, in late stages pain even at the rest, tenderness of medial ridgeof the tibia.
Medial tibial stress syndrome/shinsplints patients are most prone to tibial fracture, one should timely take careof it and get treated for it.
PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT OF MEDIALTIBIAL STRESS SYNDROME/SHIN SPLINTS INCLUDES:
Treatment of shin splints at ElitePhysiotherapy & Sports Injury centre is started with Cryo-therapy thisincludes application of Ice packs and also we have the latest technologyCryo-air machine which will reduce your pain and inflammation in very lesstime.
Then our sports physiotherapist willdo manual therapy such as Soft tissue mobilization, & fascia release of themuscles and fascia around the tibia to improve your condition.
Foam rolling of shin, calf muscle,and Achilles tendon.
At our physiotherapy clinic, we usetherapeutic modalities for shin splints such as extracorporeal shockwavetherapy, and Ultrasound therapy. And our physiotherapists use some techniqueslike dry needling and Kinesio taping for pain relief and faster recovery.
Compression bandaging, Neoprenesleeve & Load management by considering some alternative ways of doingexercises such as Cross-training, Cycling, Swimming, etc. this will give chanceto affected area to heal. And our physiotherapist designs a rehab program thatincludes gradually increase run-specific loading and return to the sportsphase.
Running form correction is anothermethod to deal with the shin’s splint as the form of running can massivelyaffect the shin’s bone. Our physiotherapist will assess your gait and donecessary modifications in your walking and running form like increase cadence.Etc.
Calf muscle conditioning through thenumber of calf strengthening exercises such as calf raises, toe walk, towelgrabbing with toes (this will strengthen the feet and the arch), balance reachexercise, forward and lateral hopping, jumping ropes, foam rolling of the calf,and anterior of the leg, etc.
Stretching such as tibialis anteriorstretching, kneeling stretch, heel walking, toe walking, etc.
Our Sports Physiotherapist willexamine your foot arch and recommend appropriate arch support (customizedinsole) for your shoes. And we have the facility of customized insole on orderis present.
Maintain the foot healthy. Wearproper arch supportive shoes and use the footwear which allows your toes toexpand properly to observe the ground force efficiently.
The home exercise program includes:ROM exercises: like sitting toe-tap exercises, and you can progress it by doingthis exercise against resistance. Ankle ROM exercise. Walking on heels for 15to 20 feet or 30 seconds and you can gradually increase the walk time up to 2minutes. Stretching exercise: like sit in the long sitting position and pointyour feet forward and get a good stretch in your anterior leg, hold the stretchfor 10-15 seconds and repeat for 10 times. Another way of stretching is sittingon your feet (like vajrasana or thunderbolt pose) and place your palm on sideof your knees and now lift yourself but keep your toes in touch with theground.