Shin Splints

Shin splints are a common cause of pain along the inner or front of the shin

This can occur particularly in runners and athletes who participate in high-impact sports. The foot and ankle play an important role in how forces are absorbed and transferred through the lower limb, and changes in foot or ankle function can contribute to increased loading of the tissues around the shin.

At Footfocus Podiatry, we look beyond the painful area to assess how your feet, ankles and lower limbs are functioning during movement. This can help identify factors that may be contributing to your symptoms and guide an appropriate rehabilitation programme.

The role of the foot and ankle

Every time your foot contacts the ground, it has to absorb and control forces before helping to propel you forwards. The ankle, foot and lower-limb muscles work together to manage these forces.

If the foot and ankle are not effectively controlling or transferring load, forces may be distributed differently through the lower limb. This does not mean that a particular foot type is necessarily the cause of shin splints, but individual differences in foot and ankle function can be relevant when assessing an athlete with persistent symptoms.

Factors we may consider include:

How the foot moves during walking and running
Ankle range of motion
Calf muscle function
Foot and ankle strength
The ability of the foot to absorb and transfer load
Previous ankle injuries
Running technique and training load
Footwear
Whether orthotic intervention could be beneficial

Symptoms

Typical symptoms include:

Aching or tenderness along the inner border of the shin
Pain during or after running
Tenderness when pressing along the shin
Symptoms following an increase in training
Pain that becomes more noticeable as running volume increases

It is important to distinguish shin splints from other causes of shin pain.

Localised pain directly over the bone, pain at rest or progressively worsening symptoms may require investigation for a bone stress injury such as a stress fracture.

Speak to us about Shin Splints treatment today!

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Why does the foot matter?

The foot is the first part of the lower limb to interact with the ground. Its ability to adapt to the surface, absorb impact and subsequently provide a stable platform for propulsion influences how forces travel through the ankle and leg.

For some athletes, improving foot and ankle strength, mobility and control may be an important part of rehabilitation. In others, the primary issue may be training load, recovery or another component of the kinetic chain.

The important point is to assess the individual rather than treating a particular foot posture in isolation.

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