In recent days, many people suffer from shin splints, which is a medial tibial stress syndrome. It causes pain in front of the lower leg and inside the lower leg. When too much stress put-on the tibia, this pain can happen. If Shin splints are not treated correctly it can turn into a more dangerous condition.
People often experience this pain while walking, running, dancing, exercising, basically, when doing any physical activities. The great part is, with a little bit of self-care, you can treat this pain. Follow this article to learn What can you do for shin splints while walking?
What are Shin Splints?
The tibial stress syndrome that causes severe pain in the lower leg is commonly known as shin splints. You can identify shin splints when you feel pain, ache, swelling on the lower or inner side of the leg. Due to improper exercise, training, and overwork that put excessive pressure on the legs, this pain can happen.
If the shin splints are bone-related, you can do the activity that doesn’t load your legs. Cycling and swimming is a safe choice in this situation. Or, if it is related to muscles, then you should use a foam roller. Also, massage or using arch supported and stable shoes can heal this pain. You can use specially designed walking shoes for shin splints.
What Can You Do for Shin Splints While Walking?
While walking with shin splints, you should put as little as a force to the legs. Putting excessive pressure and force on the muscles of your shins can cause inflammation and pain. See the below tips to learn What Can You Do for Shin Splints While Walking?
● Stop walking every day or for long-distance.
● Be aware of the step rate while feeling heavy pain.
● Wear walking shoes with low heels and comfortable soles.
● Add shock-absorbing insoles to your shoes.
● Before starting walking, do a little bit of warm-up or stretching.
● Use proper walking form while walking.
● Avoid leading with the heel and striding forward too far.
● Try to avoid hard surfaces.
● Do not walk on the uphill, downhill, and uneven roads.
Orthotic insoles will help to control over pronation when walking. This will help to reduce the strain on the tibialis posterior muscle and relieve shin splints.
Basic Treatments for Preventing Shin Splints
As I mentioned earlier, that by taking some self-care, you could get rid of this issue. When shin splints occur, you can follow the below steps to treat them.
Take Proper Rest
Until the pain goes away, try to avoid doing any kind of activity. Choose an easy pace and softer surface to get back to the starting location. Make sure not to exercise or do such activities for at least two weeks. Give some proper time to heal the shin splints. You can do swimming and cycling at this time. But, remember, do not put any stress on your legs.
Ice or Heat Therapy
Ice packs work really well to relieve the pain of shin splints. At a time, you can use it for 20 minutes. It can be used several times a day. Always put fabric or towel to avoid direct contact of cold between legs and ice packs. You can start using heat therapy after the pain gets subsided. Take the heat therapy wrap before and after exercise or walk for 2 or 3 minutes.
Pain Relievers or Compression Garments
You should consult a doctor for appropriate treatment and medication. For instant relief from continuous pain or swelling, you can take non-steroidal medicine.
On the other side, calf and shin compression or elastic bandage is best for a speedy recovery. You can also use knee-high compression socks and leg sleeves to support the lower legs. These things can effectively reduce pain.
Rehab Exercises
Stretching can make your leg fit for walking and running again. You can easily build up the shin muscles by doing shin stretches. It will help you to improve the flexibility of shin muscles and overcome shin splints.
For the best and quick result, do consult a therapist to learn the techniques and exercises. It will help you in the long run by strengthening and balancing the leg muscles.
Proper Footwear
For avoiding shin splints wearing proper footwear is a must. So, replace your shoes as soon as possible. You can find some shoes for shin splints that are specially designed for daily walks and runs. Take into account that the pain can increase if you wear unfit shoes.
What Makes the Best Walking Shoes for Shin Splints?
To find a suitable pair of walking shoes, you have to consider smoke facts. The below steps will help you to find the perfectly fitted walking shoes for shin splints.
Right Fit
To ensure proper fit, lookout for a shoe that has enough space in the front part. This thing will allow your toes to move comfortably. It will be best you consult the manufacturer’s chart size. Some models are designed with narrow sizes, and some are in wide sizes. So, from this chart, you can find your best-suited shoe.
Good Stability and Support
People who have shin splints need a show with better support and stability. This feature allows your foot to be well-contoured and provide proper support from the heel to toe. With improper foot position, you can injure the foot while walking or running with shin splints.
Cushioning and Shock Absorbance
When it comes to shin splints, make sure to have a show with more cushioning or padding. Choose a shoe that can absorb impact from the insole, midsole, and outsole as well. The best shoes for shin splints are designed with memory foam, air cushioning, or gel.
Final Verdict
Like any other chronic pain, shin splints are also very painful and can cause huge damage. The best part is you can prevent this pain by doing some simple things.
From this article, you can learn What can you do for shin splints while walking. So, do accordingly by changing your regular shoes, and do some exercise to strengthen your hips and core.
