What does it feel like?
Dull Pain on the inside of the lower part of the shin bone, increases/ intensifies during training, think of it as repetitive strain injury.
May feel pain on movement and on ankle movement which may be restricted in the Plantar/Dorsiflexion (up and down movement).
What causes it?
Take note that if it was a sudden intense pain, it could also point to a stress fracture, here you are more likely to feel pain on the front of the bone, bruising, swelling and pain on a particular spot could all be present if in doubt see a doctor.
Some main causes:
Tight calf muscles, stretch them before and after training.
Incorrect shoes, they need to be supportive and able to take the shock, out of the continuous pounding. You may need inserts to support or position your toes, heal, or arch.
You may also need to look if your foot over pronates or over supinates
Check your form, that you are not placing all your pressure on a single point, you will need help for this, a friend, and an online video for general view.
Depending on your training intensity, they may not be supportive very long keep checking.
Excessive running and jumping, take time to build up to it
Increasing distance too fast, especially when starting out or gaining a bit of confidence.
Running on uneven ground.
Pounding hard surfaces.
Sprinting or running on your toes.
What should I do?
You have them, what now?
Massage and other soft tissue modalities can assist in the recovery and rehabilitation
Follow the PRICE principles:
Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation
Yes, that means reduce or even put a hold on training.
You may need to have your gait and foot positioning checked.
It can take up to 3 months to heal with treatment unless you get it early.
Training should be suspended for a few weeks until pain is not felt, then start training with gradual increases, ensure you follow the suggestions above, gentle stretching and use a shin support.
In chronic cases where the symptoms have been ignored, you may feel lumps along the shin, this is due to the repair process of laying down new bone.
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