Treatment of shin splints: self-help

Treatment of shin splints: self-help measures

Apply ice over the painful area

Ice treatments are globally accepted to be the simplest, safest and most immediate measure to relieve pain, reduce internal bleeding and bruising, and control swelling in injured tissues.

There are a number of instant ice-pack products available on the market but ice cubes wrapped in a wet towel are just as effective. It’s important not to place ice, or even a bag of frozen peas, directly onto your skin as this may result in an ‘ice burn’ but a wet towel provides adequate protection.

Provided you have no broken areas of skin, ice treatments can safely be applied every hour or every other hour during the first day or two after the injury, depending on the amount of pain or swelling involved. Anything from five up to ten minutes at a time will be helpful but it largely depends on your ability to tolerate the cold. The ice treatment has been effective if your skin has turned pink, or darkened if you are dark-skinned, before you stop.

Stretch the affected area

If pain levels allow, stretch the shin muscles by sitting with your affected leg straight out in front of you then press the toes of that foot downwards with your other foot. Press down until you feel a pulling sensation in the injured muscles and then hold for a count of ten before relaxing. Aim to repeat the stretch several times each day.

Take anti-inflammatory medication

Over the counter, non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen can be an effective measure against painful swelling but always check with your doctor or with a pharmacist before taking any new medication.

Rest

Rest from any pain-causing activities until you can stretch the muscles fully, and they no longer feel sore to touch.

Returning to running must be a gradual process and all potential causes of the shin splint pain investigated and remedied where necessary before beginning.