How To Get Rid Of Shin Splints

Before sleeping the previous night, you made it a point to wake up every morning for a jog in the park. And as planned, you do wake up and put on your jogging gears to get that awesome feeling of blissfulness. The cool breeze rubbing against your face, the chirping melody of the birds and the freshness of the environment fill you with an added zest and enthusiasm that you had been missing since long. The smile on your face gets broader and wider with every step but then, suddenly something happens and your face turns pale as you stop, encountering excruciating pain in your legs. Wonder what went to the glorious time? How, out of nowhere, did this pain engulf you? Worry not, for those who love to run or are an athlete; dealing with tragic shin splints isn’t a once-in-a-blue-moon affair. Most of the people go through this common burning trouble while performing harsh physical activities, especially athletes. Sometimes, it also hampers the training schedule of athletes. The dreadful shin splints pain is the natural wearing down of leg muscles due to excessive movements of legs. Overworking or stressing shin splints also promote nerve irritations, tendonitis and stress fracture in the lower leg. There are many causes of shin splints which may range from person to person like tight achilles, tight calf muscles, running on uneven surface, sudden modification in running speed, landing on the balls of feet while running, leaning extra forward or backwards while running, inappropriate running shoes, etc. However, the problem isn’t a serious one and you can get rid of it easily by following simple ways. Find out in the line below.

Getting Rid of Shin Splints
The very initial step you have to keep in mind to cure shin splints is to analyze its cause. This terrible pain may be because of running, long-jumps, triple-jumping, pole-vaulting, worn out shoes, running surface, excessive training, etc.

If the cause of shin splint is your old shoes, then it’s time to change them instantly. If you are a regular runner then you must change your shoes after every three months. The shoes must be of good quality, well fit and quite comfortable.
If the cause is the surface you are running on, then you must opt for a softer surface. Hard or uneven surface elevates the pain. A garden is the best choice for the same. Also, remember to never switch frequently between hard and soft surfaces.
Rest is highly required. Do not overstress yourself by running continuously without breaks or taking rest. Even after running, you must take proper rest. Always run till the limit your body allows. If it really hurts, stop then and there.
Apply ice packs in the first 48 to 72 hours after being affected with shin splint. The legs must be given a cold compress and placed at an elevated position.
If after the above steps the pain does not go away, then you must consult a doctor. Also, during your rest phase, you should not completely restrict yourself on the bed rather continue on walking or light jogging. Also, if by these exercises, the pain increases then you may also use some walking aids to walk comfortably.
You can treat your legs with a moist heat and massage therapy. This will actually bring you at ultra ease. The moist heat enhances the blood circulation and massage helps in keeping the muscles flexible. You can also take some anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin which helps in pain and inflammation reduction.
Stretching is another way to get rid of shin splints. Stretch shin splints and calf muscles prior to any physical activities. Warming up the shin muscles thoroughly makes the muscles loose and flexible.
After recovering from shin splints, always run lightly on a soft surface for some days to heal the wearing entirely. Also, proper training and exercise routine is required to let your muscles adapt the usual exercise routine.
Another important factor that can help reduce the chances of your being affected with shin splint is weight. If you are fat then you are most likely to have face shin splint. As such, a great way to minimize the chances of your getting shin splint is reducing the weight.

Tips

Running despite having pain is foolish. The more you avoid it; the more severe will the pain be.
Always try to avoid running on flat feet instead of your toes. This gives lesser stress on shins.
Never give excessive strain on the shin splints as it may result in tibia fracture.

So, now you have an answer of how to get rid of shin splints and that too very easily. Getting rid of shin splints just requires proper approach, care and treatment.

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