Tibia pain Is it Shin Spints?

Treating Shin Spints can be tedious

03/21/2015

When the tibia hurts, those affected usually have to take a break from exercise. Because if it is the so-called shin splints syndrome („Shin Splints“), this is usually due to an overload while running. Some time may pass before the patient is free of symptoms, despite physiotherapy and deposits. It is important to visit an orthopedist as early as possible to prevent the syndrome from becoming chronic. In conversation with the news agency „dpa“ give experts tips on how to prevent and treat Shin Splints.

It is not done with a syringe
When patients with pressure and pain in the tibia come to Ingo Tusk, the orthopedist knows that the treatment may take a long time because they may be signs of tibial nerve syndrome. „These patients are difficult to treat because it takes a long time for the symptoms to go away“, explained the chief physician of the Department of Sports Orthopedics and Endoprosthetics at the Frankfurt Red Cross clinics to the news agency dpa. „You have to tell the athlete from the beginning: „This is not an issue where you give an injection and everything is fine again.“ Since you really have to turn the wheel.“ Especially runners get the injury, too „Shin Splints“ is called. „This is a typical running strain syndrome“, said Tusk. In rare cases, triathletes or dancers suffer as well.

„Only with difficulty to treat“
According to Patrik Reize, medical director of the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology at the Klinikum Stuttgart, many patients speak of a diffuse feeling of pressure on the lower leg. Often it occurs on the inside of the tibia, sometimes outside. The pain first comes about after the start of a run and remains until the end of the load, but can also stop hours or days later and eventually become so strong that the workout must be stopped. As Tusk explained, the pain is where the muscle attaches to the shin bone's periosteum. In some it is related to the arch of the foot, which is stretched by the posterior tibial muscle, the tibialis posterior muscle. „If the vault is too shallow, a pain on the bones may occur that is difficult to treat. Because everything that is close to the bone is poorly supplied with blood. That's where the long treatment comes from.“ However, a sports overload by too much training or too low a level of fitness can lead to an inflammation at the approach of the muscle tendon on the bone.

To the doctor before the syndrome becomes chronic
In addition to the badly trained, overweight overzealous, there are also extreme athletes who train very often or for a very long time. Although it is important to see a doctor before the syndrome becomes chronic, unfortunately, many stimuli do not. „Patients, when they come to the consultation, report about any stress situation in which they started. But because the pain usually recedes after the stress, they take a while to go to the doctor.“ Other experts point out that when shin splints, the doctor should always be given symptoms such as numbness of the legs, low back pain or buttocks pain, as there may be different causes for the pain. Diseases of the tibia can also be caused by tendinitis (tendovaginitis) at the attachment site of the tibial musculature.

Physiotherapy is usually the choice of means
At first, protection is usually prescribed, even if a sports break is difficult for many. Physiotherapy is usually the choice of remedies. „You can treat the trigger points. It has to be in experienced hands, because that's not easy“, Tusk explained. „If the causes of pain in the arch of the foot, then once a deposit supply makes sense to protect the vault and compensate for a foot deformity.“ It should also be checked if the patient is running in the right shoes. According to Patrick Befeldt of the German Fitness Teachers Association (DFLV), the muscles on the ankle should also be trained to stabilize the feet. „And in general, I would welcome it if runners preventively do an accompanying strength and coordination training.“ He said the hardest part was it, „to slow people down“. The decisive factor in tibial nerve syndrome is: „It has to heal.“

Treatment lasts up to six weeks
As Befeldt explained, it makes sense not to just run to prevent such ailments from the outset: „You should start to walk slowly and systematically, and if possible have a plan made by a specialist for the training.“ This significantly reduces the risk of injury. Once the shin splints begin to hurt, treatment usually takes up to six weeks. However, more time may be needed if the athlete visits the orthopedic surgeon late. „You have to take your time with these patients“, so Patrik charms. „At them it is important to tap all differential diagnostics in conversation.“ Because the pain is so diffuse, it often takes a while to get the diagnosis „Shin Splints“ can be made. (Ad)