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Are you experiencing shin pain as a result of shin splints?

You’re a runner, and you have shin splints.

No, I’m not a psychic; shin splints are one of the most common complaints of avid runners worldwide. So what causes these intense, sharp/shooting pains in the front of your shins?

It’s pretty simple really. Running is a repetitive unilateral (one leg at a time) activity. When you run, you put tremendous amounts of force (depending on body weight and intensity) through each leg to propel yourself forward. These forces have to get transferred somewhere, and that somewhere is the deep muscles and bones of the lower leg.

Shin splint pain is a direct result of microtrauma to the following deep calf structures: Anterior and Posterior Tibialis, Flexor Hallicus Longus, Extensor and Flexor Digitorum Longus. Two things can cause shin splints within your muscles. First, you do not rest enough between runs in order for the muscle tissue to recover and heal. Or 2, the microtrauma is so severe a significant amount of scar tissue is needed and produced in order to repair the damage caused from your run.

This scar tissue isn’t the same as muscle tissue, it doesn’t stretch and contract like muscles do. Therefore, it restricts movement (most notably at the ankle) and creates even more stress in the lower leg, which once again creates more microtrauma and more scar tissue.

So how do we fix it?

There are a few good habits you can get into on your own. Foam-rolling, self-massage, and heat therapy are a few things you can try post-run in order to create an increase in blood flow to the lower legs and help prevent this accumulation of scar tissue. Doing this will help restore oxygen to the area and speed up the healing process as well. Stretching after each run will also aid in your recovery.

STRETCHING DOES NOT BREAK DOWN SCAR TISSUE.

If you try these things and are still experiencing pain in the lower leg, you need to seek a professional’s help. You are looking for an Orchard Park Chiropractor, Massage Therapist, or Physical Therapist who specifically knows how to diagnose and break down scar tissue. More specifically, a Soft Tissue Specialist. Search around for reviews and get recommendations from others that have recovered from this condition. Just like with any profession, every professional is not equal. You’re looking for the best, plain and simple.

To have your shin splints fixed by a professional soft tissue chiropractor in Orchard Park, call us today at 716-677-5525.

Certified in Advanced Chiropractic Care

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