Shin splints is a commonly used term for pain at the front of the shin. However, it is both medically and often diagnostically incorrect!

True shin splints causes pain at the front, inside of the shin bone, usually in the lower half of the lower leg. Many people experience shin pain to the outside of the shin bone (Tibia) and think they have developed shin splints. This is not the case, and often this pain may be due to tight calf/shin muscles, trigger points in these muscles, referred pain from elsewhere or occasionally, compartment syndrome.

For those with pain on the inside of the Tibia, shin splints is no longer a term used by the medial profession. There have been many names used to replace it, with Medial Tibial Traction Periostitis and Medial Tibial Traction Syndrome being the most common.

This condition is caused by traction forces from the muscles of the lower leg causing inflammation of the periosteum of the Tibia – the membrane that covers the outer surface of a bone and to which the musles attach.  As well as the location of the pain, symptoms include pain occurring at the start of exercise, only to ease as you warm up and possibly return after rest, tenderness on touching the inner border of the bone and a lumpy feeling in this area.

Treatment, as with all overuse injuries, focuses on correcting the cause of the injury. Rest, ice and anti-inflammatories may be useful in the early stages, but until the underlying cause has been corrected the pain will only reoccur on returning to activity.

So what causes shin splints? It is usually a combination of factors such as:

• Overpronation (rolling in and flattening of the arch of the foot)
• Oversupination (rolling outwards and a high arch)
• Inappropriate footwear
• Reduced ankle flexibility
• Sudden increases in activity
• Walking/running on hard surfaces.

Find out how you can correct these potential causes using rehabilitation exercises, orthotics and sports massage at www.sportsinjuryclinic.net

Buy Clearance Running Shoes and other running related apparel from our sports injury and running specialist website Return2fitness.co.uk.