How Do You Know You Have Shin Splints?!
Question:
How Do You Know You Have Shin Splints?
I have this extreme pain in my legs whenever I run and/or walk quickly. At first I thought it was just that I was sore, but this is the absolute worst pain i've been in for a long time. Please help!
[[=
Answers:
Shin splints is pain along your tibia which is the bone that you can feel in your lower leg in the front. This can be easily treated with custom orthotics which can you can be evaluated for by your local podiatrist. Ice and Advil/Aleve can help until you see that doctor. Now another thing that it could be is what we call "exercise induced compartment syndrome". This is when people get extreme pain in the legs after activity which goes away with rest, but it doesn't happen with normal standing and walking. This needs to also be evaluated by your local podiatrist. Treatment for this problem will first start with again custom orthotics and if this doesn't help, you may need to have a simple surgery to release you compartments so allows the muscles to breath better. Essentially, it's your muscles are over-swelling when you do strenuous activity and there's not enough room for them to swell and it compresses everything causing extreme pain. Hope this helps!