Tibial Periostitis or Shin Splints
Tibial periostitis (or shin splints) refers to lower leg pain that can have a variety of causes, but is typically caused by vigorous running or walking.
The pain can be in the front or back of the leg below the knee. Ice packs, painkillers and stretching exercises may help.
Repetitive impact forces to the legs during vigorous running or walking activities can overload leg muscles and tendons and cause tibial pain. Excessive rotation of the foot outwards (supination) can also cause or aggravate tibial periostitis.
Pain may occur in the anterior outer part of the leg or the posterior inner part of the leg. Pain caused by tibial periostitis typically occurs at the start of activity, but later subsides as activity continues. At first, pain only occurs immediately after the heel touches the ground when running or walking. If the person continues to run, pain is felt with each step and eventually becomes constant. The pain usually goes away with rest.
The situation should be addressed as soon as the first symptoms appear. Often, physicians are able to diagnose the problem based on a medical assessment in a physical and rehabilitation medicine or sports medicine consultation with an orthopaedist or one of our physiatrists.
Treatment of tibial periostitis
- Rest;
- Rehabilitation. Exercises begin gradually and progress until the patient fully recovers during the physiotherapy sessions.
Running should be stopped until the pain is gone. Applying ice and using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help relieve the pain. Conditioning can be maintained with alternative exercises such as swimming.
As soon as the shin pain stops, you should do exercises to stretch and strengthen your leg muscles, such as holding a bucket by the handle on your foot. These exercises are important to prevent recurrence. Wearing supportive shoes with stiff heel stiffeners and arch supports and avoiding constant walking or running on soles or hard surfaces can help prevent recurrence of shin splints.
At the end of physiotherapy, exercises should be carried out to simulate the technical gesture of the injury, in order to bring it as close as possible to the patient’s activity before they are discharged.
If you need treatment for tibial periostitis or shin splints, contact our physiotherapy clinics in Lisbon.
