Shin Splints
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editor: Dennis Lee, MD
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Treatment for Exercise & Sports Injuries
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
 Sports injuries refer to the kinds of injury that occur
during sports or exercise. While it is possible to injure any part of the body when playing
sports, the term sports injuries is commonly used to refer to injuries of the
musculoskeletal system.
Some of the most common sports injuries include:
- Sprains—tears to the
ligaments that join the ends of bones together. The ankles, knees, and wrists
are commonly affected by sprains.
- Strains—pulls or tears
of muscles or tendons (the tissues that attach the muscles to the bones)
- "Shin splints"—pain
along the outside front of the lower leg, commonly
seen in runners
- Achilles tendonitis
or rupture of the Achilles tendon—These injuries involve the large band of tissue that connects the calf muscles
to the heel
- Fractures of the bones
- Dislocation of joints
Acute injuries usually
occur suddenly while participating in sports or exercise. They may result in
sudden and severe pain, the inability to bear weight on a limb, or inability to move the affected part of the body. Chronic
injuries usually result from overuse of one area of the body over a period of
time. Symptoms of chronic injuries include soreness, dull aching pain, and pain
during participation in physical activity.
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What are shin splints?
Shin splints are injuries to the front of the outer leg.
While the exact injury is not known, shin
splints seem to result from inflammation from
injury to the tendon (posterior
peroneal tendon) and adjacent tissues in the
front of the outer leg.
Shin splints represent one member of a group of injuries
called "overuse injuries." Shin splints occur most commonly in runners or
aggressive
walkers.
What are the symptoms of shin splints?
Shin splints cause pain in the front of the outer leg
below the knee. The pain of shin
splints is characteristically located on the outer edge of the mid region of the
leg next to the shin bone (tibia). An area of discomfort
measuring 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) in length is frequently present. Pain is often
noted at the early portion of the workout, then lessens only to reappear near
the end of the training session. Shin splint discomfort is often described as
dull at first. However, with continuing trauma, the pain can
become so extreme as to cause the athlete to stop workouts altogether.
What causes shin splints?
A primary culprit causing shin splints is a sudden
increase in distance or intensity of a workout schedule. This increase in muscle
work can be associated with inflammation of the lower leg muscles, those muscles
used in lifting the foot (the motion during which the
foot pivots toward the tibia). Such a situation can be aggravated by
a tendency to pronate the foot (roll it excessively inward onto the
arch).
Similarly, a tight Achilles tendon or weak
ankle muscles are also often
implicated in the development of shin splints.
How is the are shin splints diagnosed?
The diagnosis of shin splints is usually made during examination.
It depends upon a careful review of the patient's history and a
focused physical exam (an exam focused on the shins and legs where local tenderness is noted).
Specialized (and costly) tests (for example, bone scans) are generally
only
necessary if the diagnosis is unclear. Radiology tests, such
as x-rays, bone scan or MRI
scan, in this setting can be helpful to detect stress fracture of the tibia bone.
Next: How were shin splints treated? »
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