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Cause of Shin Splints

Whether you’re running after a soccer ball, jogging around the neighborhood park or training for a marathon, you’re at risk of running-related injuries. One of the most common injuries is shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome).Shin splints is a common term used for a half a dozen lower leg problems ranging from nerve irritations to tendonitis to stress fractures.  The most common type that is experienced involves the tearing away of the muscle tissue that attaches to the front of the lower leg. 

Risk Factors of Shin Splints
The first risk factor is overtraining. Evaluate your schedule to determine what training errors you may have made. Mechanically, pronation is most likely to be the culprit. When the foot pronates the medial structures of the leg are stretched and put under stress, this increases the likelihood that they will become injured.
Running in worn-out footwear,Engaging in sports with frequent starts and stops, such as basketball and tennis

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).
Anterior compartment syndrome affects the outer side of the front of the leg.

Stress fractures usually produce localized, sharp pain with tenderness 1 or 2 inches below the knee. A stress fracture is likely to occur 2 or 3 weeks into a new training program or after beginning a harder training program.

Symptoms of Shin Splints
Shin splints (an inflammation of tendons and muscles of the shin) is typically brought on by the impact forces of exercise.Shin splints are a common, often seasonal injury that usually occurs when you start to run after a long layoff. They can also result from playing a sport (such as tennis) on a hard surface, changing your style of workout shoes, dramatically increasing workouts, or gaining a substantial amount of weight and then exercising.

Anterior shin splint is due to a muscle or tendon injury (that help to lift the front of the foot) and results in pain and tenderness on the front outside of the leg. Posterior pain (a soreness that radiates along the back and inner side of the lower leg or ankle) is typically caused by stressed muscles that help support and stabilize the arch of the foot.
Stress fractures should be taken seriously, so if you suspect you have one, you should consult a physician before continuing to engage in any exercise or activity.

Treatment of Shin Splints
If pain is severe or you suspect a stress fracture, contact your physician for an examination. After a medical history and examination, he or she may suggest x-rays to detect any minute cracks in the shin – the sign of a stress fracture.

Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort — but don’t give up all physical activity. While you’re healing, try low-impact exercises, such as swimming, bicycling or water running. If your shin pain causes you to limp, consider using crutches until you can walk normally without pain.