How to treat shin split.

How to treat shin split

Shin split is a common injury for many sports but specially for running. Best is to treat it as soon as possible because shin split can easily go over to a stress fracture. Then it is a long recovery period. 

● Mostly shin splits come from over training (TO SOON, TO FAST, TO MUCH), but can also come from wrong shoes and over striding when running.

● When you start to feel sore on your front and side leg, reduce your training and start to cross train (swim, cycling). Cross train will reduce the impact on your leg.

● When running, rather go run in a park on grass then go running on tar road. Softer surface.

● When running give smaller strides.

● Ice your leg twice a day for 20min.

● You can get compression socks. It made a huge difference for me when I was struggling with shin splits.

● You can tape your leg but with medical guidance. 

● Buy the right shoe. When I struggled with shin splits, I changed my running shoe to a much softer shoes and that was only treatment that worked for me.

● Stretching the calf can also help.

● If you still struggle with shin splits REST and go see a medical practitioner or a fisio.

Hope my guidance will help you. 

Marius.