Shin splints - that painful ache or burn along your shin bone that hangs around far too long. How do you get rid of it?
This article has been written with no nonsense and no lies.
Everything mentioned has been backed clinically so you can be confident that what is being said works and you won’t waste your time and energy rubbing snake oil on your calfs.
Firstly, what are shin splints?
Let’s be clear here - there isn’t one clear definition.
That is because the pathophysiology (big word meaning ‘something your body is doing wrong to lead to the injury’) isn’t well understood, but avoiding something too technical, it can be described as:
“A dull ache or burn along the bottom third of your shin bone”
It can hurt when you get up, when you walk too far (or too little).
The pain when running can be unbearable and if you don’t manage it early, trouble lies ahead.
Stress fractures = months out of training
So, make sure you get onto it early!
Ice
Icing the site of pain, it’s a good starting point. Sooth’s the symptoms, reduces the inflammation.
Does it address the reason your body reacted to running this way? No.
If you don’t manage your return to running correctly (your running gait), they will likely return.
Rest
This can be a big no no for most of us athletes.
Whether you’re a fun-runner or a professional athlete, no running is no fun. But, it does work.
When you rest, you miss the endorphin rush, you feel alone in your injury.That’s why most people avoid this solution.
Physiotherapy
Go see your sports physiotherapist (we highly recommend the team here if you're in Sydney)
It can be expensive at times, but working in partnership with a person who cares about your training almost as much as you do is a good place to start.
We spoke to over 50 trusted physiotherapists...
... in NSW earlier this year and found that they get success from:
- Soft tissue work
- Addressing faulty biomechanics
- Strengthening exercises
Problem here? It can be time consuming and expensive.
It really comes down to whether or not you can commit to all the soft-tissue work and strengthening exercises at home.
P.S. We will be compiling a list of ones we trust (based on reviews and research) to help with this in the future.
Solushin
Made for athletes and their physiotherapists, this medical device is very easy to use. Imagine if treating such a persistent injury was as easy as walking the dog or doing the dishes?
Plus, it doesn’t just “support” your recovery from an injury (which can sound a little fluffy), it’s clinically proven to treat your injury!
It also prevents recurrence
In the clinical study, no participant wearing the Solushin had any recurrence of pain due to shin splints for the full 6-month follow up.
This product will be available later this year through physiotherapists in NSW and online, but it was shown clinically to get you back to full-load much quicker than physiotherapy alone.
If you’d like to register for 25% off your online purchase, subscribe to our email list here.