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Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome) causes pain along the distal-third of the posteromedial tibial border Disclosure: This was written for medical professionals. If you are a runner, why not check out our simpler explanation here As a medical professional, you no doubt have had a countless number of patients come in complaining of "shin splints." While I will look over the nuisance of them over-utilising Doctor Google for a self-diagnosis, you need to understand what you're dealing with regarding the patient's exertional leg pain. I recently spoke with Nick Knight, a leading musculoskeletal podiatrist from the UK, who said...

Target soleus related issues associated with medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) with the clinically trialled Solushin medical device Let's meet the soleus The soleus is a wide flat muscle found in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. Located deeper (or anterior) to the gastrocnemius muscle heads, the soleus originates just posterior to the head of the fibula and at the mid-diaphysis of the medial border of the tibia before inserting into the calcaneus through the Achilles tendon.  A quick graphic highlighting the soleus muscle The soleus is a strong plantar flexor that contributes to running, walking and jumping. Along...

Boobs On The Run is a female-led and female only running club in Sydney, Australia Tight calves are a common complaint in runners. However, are there any risks involved with having tight calves?  Tight calves often lead to poor dorsiflexion, the movement that occurs when your foot angles upwards towards your shin. It is arguably one of the most critical lower-body movements from a functional standpoint - think about what happens when you walk. You dorsiflex.  Dorsiflexion vs. plantar flexion of the foot Often measured with a knee-to-wall assessment, poor dorsiflexion (<8cm) is considered a risk factor for various injuries,...

Dorsiflexion, that flexion of the foot in a dorsal, upwards, direction is imperative to walking, running, squatting and much more.     As a common dysfunction identified in the physiotherapy and podiatry worlds, and a risk factor associated with a variety of injuries, I have compiled a brief article outlining the research in the literature for dorsiflexion associated with tightcalf muscles and ankle joint restrictions.   Pope et al showed that having poor dorsiflexion puts a patient at 2.5 times the risk of injury than those associated with average flexibility, and eight times higher than those associated with high flexibility. I...

Shin splints. Ask a runner about the injury, and they will tell you that they, or someone they know, has spent countless training sessions hindered by the injury. But what exactly are shin splints, and what is the best treatment option for them? As an ex-athlete and biomedical engineer, I have written this article as a reflection of my current understanding based on my interactions with 100s of clinics, reviewing literature and monitoring the use of the Solushin in the Australian athletic populations. My strengths are the athlete and biomedical engineer perspective.  The purpose of this article is to discuss...