Shin Splints Treatment Melbourne

Shin splints is an injury to the lower leg (or legs) which causes tenderness, pain and sometimes swelling along the inside of the shin bone. Rest, ice and over-the counter pain relievers can sometimes resolve the issue. When self-management remedies such as these are not effective, it’s time to consult a Podiatrist for specialist treatment to manage, and find a resolution for, the condition.

Across both Clinics, our Podiatrists have worked with athletes and sports people over the years to treat this and other exercise-related injuries so that our patients can get back to doing what they love as quickly and safely as possible.

What Are Typical Shin Splints Symptoms?

The most common symptom experienced by patients, and reported to our Podiatrists, is pain in the inner and lower two thirds of the tibia.

 Along the Inner Edge of the Shin

The official term for this area of the body is the distal stirrup of the postural medial tibial border. When athletes change or increase their training routines, the altered or intensified activity overworks the muscles, tendons and bone tissue. The resulting pain is felt along the inner edge of the shin. Likewise, if someone is beginning a new program of activity (such as taking up a new hobby like running), this can increase the risk of shin splints if the activity is increased too quickly.

Pain During or After Exercise

This intensification of a fitness regime causes pain during exercise which usually subsides when the activity stops or with rest. Upon

repeated exertion, over time, the pain can continue even after exercise has ceased.

Tenderness to the Touch

Swelling, soreness and irritation to the front of the shin bone can be worse with rubbing or pressing the area.

Mild Swelling

There may be mild swelling in the lower leg because the tibia is inflamed.

Pain Along the Outer Edge of the Shin

Pain is more common on the inner edge of the shin rather than the outer edge which isn’t exposed because it’s surrounded by muscles. 

Increased Pain with Palpation

Pain is reproduced with light palpation. This is when a Podiatrist will use their fingers during the physical part of the examination to feel for abnormalities close to the surface of the skin.

Pain that Subsides with Rest

As the pain is caused and provoked by activity, it’s therefore reduced with rest. However, returning to activity again too quickly can trigger the symptoms to reoccur.

Pain That Persists Over Time

Without appropriate treatment and ongoing prevention measures, the shins can be consistently overloaded and the pain will not resolve.

What Are the Common Causes of Shin Splints

The underlying pathology which leads to someone developing shin splints is not conclusive. However, there are a few factors that increase the chances of someone developing the condition:

Overuse or Overtraining

A sudden or quick increase in intensity, duration or type of activity can put the muscles and joints under a lot more stress and cause shin splints. It’s best, therefore, to increase activity gradually so that the muscles have time to develop in order to support the body.

Poor Foot Biomechanics

Biomechanics means ‘movement mechanics’. When thinking about the feet, this includes the structure, function and motion. Podiatrists look at how the muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together to create movement – and everyone’s feet are different. In some patients, their foot biomechanics contribute to the onset of shin splints and in these cases stretches, strengthening, foot supports and footwear can all play a part in resolving and avoiding a reocurrence of the condition.

Inadequate Footwear

Footwear that doesn’t properly support the individual biomechanics of the feet and the specific activity being undertaken can cause someone to develop shin splints. A footwear assessment and video gait analysis are two of the interventions offered at our Clinics to help patients understand what footwear is best for them so that they can get back to the sports and activities they enjoy.

Sudden Increase in Activity

Sports people in pre-season training – basketball, netball, football and so on – who are deconditioned, have weaker muscles which struggle to cope with the sudden increase in pressure and activity when activity starts up again.

Running on Hard Surfaces

The force of running or jumping jars the feet, ankles and lower limbs and creates stress through those areas. When there is an inability of the bone to deal with the load and stress, shin splints can develop.

Tight or Weak Muscles

Tightness in the soleus muscle that runs through this area of the leg can irritate the bone and the protective sheath around the bone and they become inflamed.

Inadequate Warm-Up or Stretching

Warming up and stretching the muscles of the feet, legs and hips before and after activity will help prepare the muscles before and relax them afterwards. Likewise, cross training to include exercises to strengthen the legs, ankles, feet, hips and core can provide additional support to help the body deal with new or increased activities.

Shoes that don’t support the feet

Appropriate footwear for both the sport being undertaken and the individual biomechanics of the feet (for example a low or high arch) will help support the feet during activity.  The training shoes themselves should be replaced regularly. For example, runners need to change their shoes every 500 – 800 kms.

Our Approach to Shin Splints Treatment

When a patient first comes into one of our Clinics, our treatment methodology ensures a comprehensive assessment so that our Podiatrists can offer the most suitable treatment plan to meet their individual needs. Our methodology is consistent across our team and follows this process:

• Taking a patient’s history
• A physical examination
• Hands-on treatment for symptom relief
• Preparing a treatment plan

The feet are complex structures so there are many ways in which we can treat shin splints. 

In the early days of the condition, our priority is to manage the inflammation so that the condition ‘settles down’. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medication, applying ice wrapped in a towel after activity for 10 minutes and topical creams can all be effective in achieving this.

Reducing both the muscles tension and pressure are our next aims.

Laser (or light) therapy, shockwave therapy and massage can all alleviate the tension in the shin. We provide these treatments as part of the appointment with no additional cost for the patient.

Depending on the particular biomechanics of the feet, it may be appropriate to create an insole or orthotic to support the foot/feet. A heel lift or other modifications inside the shoes can also reduce the pressure on the muscles being used.

When patients are in pre-season training it can be hard to stop all activity completely. In these situations our specialists will help athletes to modify their programs or ease off temporarily to mitigate the issues caused by activities such as running and jumping. We then advocate for building back up progressively but slowly so that the deconditioned muscles can get used to the pressures being asked of them.

Our Podiatrists will also provide a program of specific exercises to build strength in the leg muscles so that they can cope with the pressures being put on them and take the load off the tibia.

 Benefits of Specialist Care

Consulting a Podiatrist who has specialist experience in managing shin splints in athletes or sports people means that the issue is resolved effectively and the patient avoids a reocurrence in the future. 

We can identify the specific and individual aggravating factors such as footwear, tight muscles or biomechanics and create a treatment plan to address those issues.

This means that a patient sees the shin splints resolved and can continue participating fully in their sport.

Adhering to the advice from a Podiatrist and maintaining a consistent exercise program, considerably reduces the likelihood of any additional problems in the future.

Meet Our Experts

Choose to see any of our Podiatrists at one of two Clinics for specialist help for shin splints: from Brett who is experienced in sports injuries and rehabilitation through to our co-founder Liam whose special interests are sports injuries and surgery.

Other Services Offered

• Foot Strengthening Exercises – a program designed for each patient’s specific needs
• Running Technique Assessment – a detailed review of a person’s running style
• Gait Analysis – a functional assessment of movement patterns using video
• Footwear Assessment – a thorough examination of a patient’s feet and an evaluation of shoes worn.

Why Choose Your Foot Clinic?

Our Podiatrists enjoy keeping people pain-free, active and achieving their goals. Our combined experience and expertise across two locations means you’ll get the help and support you need quickly to resolve any injuries or problems.