shin splints

Sore, painful shins are one of the most common—and frustrating—symptoms experienced by runners, soccer players, and all kinds of active individuals. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or professional player, shin splints can keep you from training your hardest and playing your best. And if you don’t treat them properly, the pain can linger all season long.

Fortunately, we can help.

What Are Shin Splints?

The term shin splints (also known as medial tibial stress syndrome) refers to pain, inflammation, and stress surrounding the tibia—in other words, the shin bone. Muscles, tendons, and even the bone itself may be affected.

Typical symptoms include tenderness, soreness, and even mild swelling along the inner side of your lower leg. Initially, you might only feel the pain during and after exercise. However, without proper care, the discomfort may become continuous.

Causes and Risk Factors

Shin splints are especially common in runners, as well as those who play a sport that involves a lot of running and jumping. Those just beginning a new training program or rapidly increasing their activity (for example, military recruits) are at especially high risk.

Structural abnormalities with your feet (for example flat feet or high arches) may increase your risk of shin splints.

runner on beach

Individualized Treatment Is the Key to Recovery

At Colorado Center for Podiatric Sports Medicine, we are passionate about play and understand the mentality of athletic patients. We’ve spent two decades treating athletes of all ages and ability levels (including the pros) and love seeing our patients get better.

When it comes to shin splints, tailoring treatment to the needs of the individual athlete is extremely critical for success. Each patient is different, and considerations need to be made based not only on the condition of your shins, but also your training program, season schedule, shoes, etc.

Treatment approaches may include:

  • New shoe gear. Finding the right pair of running shoes, cleats, or other shoe gear for your sport and unique foot shape can make a huge difference in terms of your susceptibility to injury.
  • Custom orthotics. We fit high quality custom orthotics for all kinds of athletes—in fact, our soccer orthotics are fabricated in the same lab used by the U.S. Men’s and Women’s national soccer teams! These special insoles slip inside your shoes to provide custom-tailored cushioning, support, and even stability and motion control to reduce pain and improve biomechanics. Not only will they help your injury, but they may even boost your performance on the field!
  • Physical therapy. Stretches, exercises, and even massage can all be used to great effect in helping relieve pain and promote faster healing, recovery, and rehabilitation.
  • Shockwave therapy. This revolutionary therapy rapidly accelerates healing using “shockwaves,” during a series of several short weekly treatment sessions. Pulses of energy are delivered to injured area, which in turn stimulate increased circulation, anti-inflammatory effects, and natural repair mechanisms. For athletes who need to get back on the field in the absolute minimum amount of time, it is extremely beneficial.

As an athlete, former college football and basketball player, and lifelong wearer of orthotics, Dr. Yakel understands the challenges athletes face—both physically and mentally! We know you don’t want to sit around for weeks on end, “resting” and waiting for your symptoms to get better.

We love to work with passionate, engaged athletes who just can’t wait to get back in the game, and we do everything we can to provide the quickest possible healing while keeping you as physically engaged as possible throughout treatment and rehab.

Visit Us

1551 Professional Lane, Ste. 105
Longmont, CO 80501

 

Contact us

(720) 600-3380 Tel   

(720) 306-5430 Fax

Hours

By Appointment Only

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