Check-up

I have developed pain in my lower leg over the front and outer part of my shin

I have developed pain in my lower leg over the front and outer part of my shin. A friend who had something similar in the past said I may have shin splints. But what is this?

Shin splint is damage to the leg muscles resulting in pain along the shin.

It can develop in the muscles at the front and outer part of the shin - this is called anterolateral shin splint - or in the muscles at the back and inner part of the shin - posteromedial shin splint.

The usual cause is repetitive, long-standing stress to the lower leg.

READ MORE

The location of the pain will depend on which groups of muscles are affected.

As the site of your pain is at the front and outside of the shin, you probably have anterolateral shin splints.

Initially my shin was painful only when my heel touched the ground when I ran. However, I've kept running hoping it would go away eventually. Am I doing the right thing?

In the early stages of shin splints, pain is noticeable when pressure is exerted on the leg when walking or running. But if you continue to exercise, the pain can progress and increase so that it occurs throughout each step and eventually becomes constant. In some cases the shin becomes painful to touch.

You really should stop running temporarily to allow the problem to heal.

Once the condition is on the mend you should start some gently stretching and strengthening exercises for your calf muscles.

Can it reoccur?

The condition can reoccur so if you start to feel this type of pain again, stop running and give yourself time to recover before getting back to regular exercise.

Wear well-fitting, supportive sports shoes and avoid running on uneven surfaces.

As you are obviously into serious running it would be advisable to consult a sports physiotherapist for advice on protecting your muscles from over-use and maybe to develop a programme of exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles which are most prone to shin splints.