Ow my shin hurts!

Odds are that pain you are feeling between your knee and ankle is a shin split, or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) (Johnson).

Meaning that they are microfiber tears, or muscle knots, in your Tibialis Anterior (the muscle that is attached to your tibia, the big bone in your shin) that could stem from overuse in tightness in your antagonist muscles (or the support muscles around your Tibialis Anterior).

We commonly see it when people partake in Moderate-Viscours physical activity; such as high school sports like running Track or Cross-Country, playing soccer, basketball, etc.

It usually starts from exercise, running downhill, uphil; when the front part of your lower leg stiffness up. The pressure point of the injury could even swell, you could even feel weak in the injured leg (Johnson).

Best way to heal a Shin Splint is to remember the term “RICE”. Rest, Ice (for 20-30 minutes, once or twice a day until healed), Compression (i.e. wraps), and Elevate (getting your feet up close to, or at heart level will help with blood flow). (WebMD).

Jeremy McDonald recieved a B.S. in Journalism from Southern Oregon University in 2011 and currently is finishing up his B.S. in Health and Physical Education from Southern Oregon University.