Shin Splints and Massage Therapy

Shin splints may be caused by various disorders, including compartment syndrome (buildup of pressure in a muscle as a result of exercise), tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon), myositis (inflammation of a muscle), a muscle tear or periostitis (inflammation of the outer layer of a bone).

Shin splints may be avoided with some common sense measures:

• Replace or repair exercise shoes that are worn down to the heels. Switch to well-fitting shoes with plenty of impact-absorbing material in the forefoot and heel area. Remember that your running shoes may lose much of their shock absorbency after as few as 500 miles.
• Warm up before running by first walking, then gradually increasing your speed to a jog.
• When you raise your heart rate and lightly perspire, stop and stretch your calf muscles with a wall stretch. One way to stretch out tight calf muscles and Achilles tendons after warming up is to walk slowly on your heels for 100-200 yards.
• Whenever you go for a run or walk, do it on dirt, grass, cinder or a rubberized track to minimize shin trauma.
• In an aerobics class, make sure the floor is wooden and slightly raised off of the ground so it will "give" as you exercise. This will reduce impact forces.

Management for Shin Splints:

• Use heat and massage. After the couple of days with shin splints, you should add a regimen of heat and massage to your treatment. Applied heat combined with deep tissue massage is a highly effective way to speed the healing process of your muscles and tendons.
• Stretching your muscles thoroughly. If you plan on running regularly you should invest in book or manual about stretching. If your muscles are tight or unprepared for the stress of running you can cause numerous injuries and do more harm than good with your exercise. It’s important to be aware of how and when to stretch properly, and if you have shin splints stretching the injured muscles (especially if you continue running with them) can help the healing process.
• Keep running. Continued running is essential to getting rid of shin splints and making sure they don’t come back. If you just wait it out for the 3-4 days it takes for shin splints to go away on their own, then start running again, you’re almost guaranteed to get another round of shin splints right away. Of course, you don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) continue an intense regimen of running with your shin splints; opt for a slower run on soft surfaces instead while you wait for your shin splints to heal.

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