If you’ve ever gone through the pain of shin splints, then you will know how desperate you can feel to get through them quickly. But what can you do to help shin splints heal? This injury most commonly occurs as a result of overuse.
It happens when inflammation occurs on the lower part of your leg in the soft tissue near or along the shin bone (also known as the tibia). The pain can be as small as two inches along this area to six inches long. It can be moderate in intensity to being so extreme that you won’t want to walk on it let alone exercise.
Before you decide on a treatment to help shin splints heal it’s a very good idea to speak with a doctor. This can help you to rule out a tibia stress fracture. The two problems need to be treated in different ways, so it’s wise to know for certain which one you have before you make any decisions.
Once you know what you have, there are certain things that you can do to help shin splints heal. The important thing to remember is that nothing will make this problem heal quickly. Even if you speed up the process it may still be a lengthy one.
The best thing to do for a shin splint is to stop it from happening in the first place. They are most common among people who walk aggressively or who run. It’s widely believed that these occur as a result of training on hard surfaces such as concrete (like sidewalks). That said, they happen more frequently among people who work out frequently and intensely or when they greatly change their walking or running routine when training for a race or trying to lose weight.
Shin splints occur as a result of the repetitive striking of hard surfaces. As a result, if you are running on sidewalks, walking very briskly on a hard sidewalk or are increasing your distance or speed too rapidly, it’s a good idea to take some action to prevent problems. At the first sign of issues, change to a soft surface like a rubberized track, trampoline, or grass. Stay off hard surfaces and take it easy when upping your speed or distance.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you’re wearing the right shoes and that your stride is appropriate. Consult an expert if you don’t know how to check this for yourself. This may mean that you’ll need to add orthotics to your shoes to ensure your shoes have a custom fit and that your foot is moving the way it should, reducing leg and back stress.
Though shin splints have no quick cure, you will need to stop running and work on recovering and easing inflammation. Stick to low-impact workouts throughout your recovery.
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