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Terri Johnson
Terri Johnson is a graduate of Emporia State University and Wichita State University. She currently works as an Exercise Physiologist at Health Strategies/Life Strategies Foundation and Wesley Medical Center, working in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Physical Assessment and Testing. Terri educates cardiac patients about their specific diagnosis, procedure or surgery and how to recover, as well as how to modify their lifestyle to reduce risk of further cardiac events. She also works in the Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation laboratory teaching patients how to exercise for a lifetime and how to deal with stress. Terri can be reached at Health Strategies, (316) 651-8060, or at the facility at 551 N Hillside, Wichita, KS 67214.
Fitness
2002-08-01 10:09:00
Shin splints... ouch!
:  I have never had as much pain as I have now with shin splints.  What are they?  How do I get rid of them?  What's the best way to avoid getting them?
Terri Johnson Question:  I have never had as much pain as I have now with shin splints.  What are they?  How do I get rid of them?  What's the best way to avoid getting them?Answer:  Shin splints, or "Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome", is a condition in which stress has caused injury to the medial (inner) part of the tibia (the large bone in the lower leg).  Symptoms include pain to the medial part of the tibia, pain that is often worse with running or activity, and/or pain lingering after cessation of activity.  This pain is associated with the soleus muscle, at the inner part of the shin, pulling hard on the backside of the tibia.  This pulling is due to the repetitive impact force of running and other activities that "pound the legs".  Over time and from overuse, inflammation to the outer layer of the tibia results and causes pain.  The bearing of weight does not cause shin splints, but rather the impact force associated with these sports.Treatment for shin splints should always include rest.  If you continue the same activities that you are doing, the condition may progress to stress fractures, which will take a minimum of 6 weeks to heal! Treat inflammation and pain with over the counter anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, as directed, and ice therapy.Proper footwear is a must.  Worn out shoes, running on hard surfaces, running on indoor tracks, excessive pronation (rolling of the bottom of the foot outward), tight calf muscles, and adding mileage too quickly are all possible causes of your shin splints.  Therefore:Make sure you are wearing the proper shoe to suit your foot and running (or activity) style.  If you are an over-pronator, you'll need a shoe with good arch support and stability.  Also check your shoe mileage, you may need a new pair.Be careful picking the surface you exercise on.  Bark chips are the softest, followed by treadmill, grass, packed dirt, and asphalt.  Definitely avoid concrete or steel!If you run on an indoor track, alternate directions each time you run (most fitness centers alternate directions).  Often it is the inside leg on the track that develops shin splints.  Also, many new tracks have suspension or cushion under them, that's a plus.Only add mileage by 10% per week.  Adding too rapidly often causes injury.Always do a warm-up and cool-down that incorporates stretching the muscles the calf muscles.Resume your regular activity gradually.  Begin with water running or cycling and progress to stair stepping, treadmill running, and eventually road running.  Spend 1-2 weeks doing each progression.Hopefully with this information, rest, and a little common sense you'll be back to your regular exercise program soon and be able to "EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO GOOD HEALTH".
 
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