Shin splints treatment
Shin splints are a painful condition that is not uncommon amongst sports men and women. Medically known as ‘medial tribal stress syndrome’ this is a very painful and slow to heal condition that any sports professional dreads.
Realistically the best shin splints treatment is rest. Unfortunately for those that are into sports this could be the same as asking them to lie on a bed of nails – it’s torture! However, if you want to recover from shin splints in the quickest time possible, then rest is the way forward. Your doctor will advise that you refrain from any type of sport until the pain has completely disappeared.
It can be tempting to see how you go and have a gentle game of sport once the pain has subsided slightly however this will just reset any of the good work that resting has done and put you right back to square one. It really is vital that you refrain from any type of sports activities until the pain caused by shin splints has completely cleared up. The only sport that you can do if you are desperate to get out and do something is swimming. This is because it puts no pressure on your shins at all.
If you want to keep exercising then working out on something like a cross trainer is ideal because these give you a cardio work out but without the impact forces of running and other exercises. Muscle strengthening exercises are also recommended as long as undertaken in the correct way. This combination of exercises can not only prevent your condition from getting worse but can speed up the lengthy healing process.
A physiotherapist will be able to give you the best advice on the types of exercises to try however generally speaking the shin splint treatment exercises that will be recommended are once that strength the muscles in the front of your thigh down to your leg extensions.
While you are visiting your physiotherapist for advice on the types of exercises that you should under take, it is likely that they will do a full assessment of your condition and your needs. By doing this they will be able to pin point exactly where the pain is located and be able to offer effective treatment depending on where this is.
If your leg(s) are particularly swollen then they are able to administer an ultrasound treatment which offers almost immediate relief. Another option is to use small electrodes to pass a current through your body to interrupt the pain signals your body is sending. This treatment is known as interferentials and is very effective.
Believe it or not, the type of footwear that you are wearing can affect the pain you are feeling. So although it will not necessarily speed up the healing process you should make sure that you are wearing the correct shoes as this will ease any pain and discomfort you are feeling. Once you have recovered from shin splints or if you want to avoid ever getting them you should ensure that you are wearing the correct footwear for the sport that you are undertaking.
Over the counter pain relief remedies can also help ease pain if you are diagnosed with shin splints, however you should always ensure that you follow the instructions given to you on the packet.
The most extreme shin splint treatment is surgery. Don’t panic though, this is only offered in the most extreme of circumstances. Your doctor will go through all of the above shin splint treatments and many more before they recommend that this is the route that is taken. Although shin splints are painful and the recovery time can be slow, the above treatments will help to ease pain and speed up that recovery process as much as possible.
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