What Are the Symptoms of Shin Splints?
Shin splints are associated with either sharp or dull shin pain and sometimes mild swelling. However, there could be other reasons for shin pain, including stress fractures and chronic exertional compartment syndrome.
Shin splints usually cause pain in the lower third of the tibia, not the entire bone, and stress effects are stress fractures are point tender – shin splints are usually more dispersed. Chronic compartment syndrome is also associated with tightness in the calf and numbness.
As shin splints progress, the pain can commence earlier into the activity and after doing less. The pain will also extend for a longer period of time after the activity is over.
How Are Shin Splints Diagnosed?
Your physician will begin by considering the history of your symptoms. Then your physician may perform a physical examination.
Your shin bone will be examined first. The physician may also check your walking gait, strength, and flexibility.
You may also have an x-ray taken of the shin to look for stress fractures. If the x-ray shows no sign of a stress fracture, then your doctor may request that an MRI scan be done.
If your physician suspects exertional compartment syndrome, they will perform compartment pressure testing before and after exercise.
How Are Shin Splints Treated?
Shin splints are categorized as repetitive strain injuries and, therefore, rarely require surgery and can be managed with non-surgical treatment options.