The two bones provide a connecting place for several of the
muscles that move your foot. These muscles consist of the anterior tibialis
(the main muscle that causes your foot to bend upward) and the posterior
tibialis (the muscle that pulls the foot down, as well as in). Together, these
muscles are called the tibialis muscles what causes shin
splints.
Sometimes, excessive stress and repetitive use can cause an
overload on the shinbone (or tibia) and tibialis muscles, resulting in what is
known as shin splints. Constant overuse tends to pull the edge of the muscles
away from the bone, causing the injured muscle and the periosteum (the bone
covering) to become inflamed. Your tibia muscles and shinbone can be overused
through quick changes in your training as well as increased running and
activity over angled or hard surfaces over a long period of time. Overuse can
also happen when you wear shoes that are flimsy or whose soles are worn out running
injuries.
There are generally two kinds of shin splints: anterior shin
splints and posterior shin splints. Anterior shin splints result in the
inflammation of the anterior tibia muscles in your leg. The main causes of
anterior shin splints are those activities which require quick starts and
stops. Examples are jogging, basketball, or sprinting how
do you get shin splints. The sudden force changes result in a heavy strain
and pressure on your anterior tibialis muscle, causing it to become inflamed
and irritated. If you're not a habitual practitioner of the said activities,
then you're in a likely risk of getting this shin splint. Non-regular runners
who suddenly decide to go on a long sprint are especially prone to this
condition as the anterior tibialis muscles must work extra hard to control the
forefoot's landing with each stride. Running downhill is even worse as doing so
adds more strain on this muscle just so your forefoot won't slap down. On a
lesser scale, people who run wearing shoes with poor shock absorption and those
who run on the balls of their feet are also prone to contract this kind of shin
splint. shin splints
causes
Posterior shin splints, on the other hand, result from
strains put on the posterior tibia muscles. They are caused foot and leg
imbalances. As such, people who have flat arches and imbalances on their tight
calf muscles tend to be more susceptible to this condition than those with
normal foot and leg formation. Posterior shin splints usually happen when the
posterior tibia muscle gets stretched as the foot becomes flat during each
step. The stretch causes the muscle to repeatedly tug on it's tibia attachment,
causing pain and inflammation if it goes on long and hard enough. causes of shin
splints
People who suffer from shin splints usually feel a
throbbing, dull ache on either the front or the back of their lower legs. Mild
swelling and tenderness can also be felt on the joints where the muscle
attaches to the bone. Usually, the pain stops after you've stopped any activity
you were doing prior to getting the condition. cause of shin splints
If you're suffering from a shin splint, there is no overt
cause for concern as a shin split is rarely serious. It tends to go away
without serious medications after a while. Just the same, there are several
things you can do to get rid of it faster.