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Why Shin Splint Sufferers Should Consider a Sports Chiropractor

Whether you are an training for a marathon, avid exerciser, an exuberant shopper, or a small child chaser, you have probably felt tightening and burning in your shin at one point in your life. Sometimes, the pain stops when the activity ceases, but other times the pain remains. If shin pain continues bothering you, it may be time to face the fact you have shin splints.

The shin is a bone located in the front part of your lower leg. Shin splints commonly occur in athletes who have intensified or changed their training routines. They also show up in regular people who have changed or added activity to their routine. Shin splints are usually the symptom of underlying biomechanical imbalances in the kinetic chain in addition to the above.

The lower leg muscles and shin bone (Tibia) has a lot of responsibility during exercise, as it absorbs the shock of the steps, raises the toes, and support the arch of the foot.

A few main culprits play a part in shin splints:

  • failing to stretch or foam roll properly before and after exercising
  • walking or running on hard surfaces, like pavement
  • wearing the wrong type of shoes during activity
  • over-exerting the body with strenuous activity & over training
  • skipping periods of rest between exercise
  • muscular imbalance and poor biomechanics

Individuals who perform any type of exercise should take appropriate measures to alleviate the above risk factors of shin splints. If you notice pain and soreness in the front part of your lower leg on the bone, know how to treat this injury properly.

If rest and ice aren’t doing the job and you’re still suffering pain, it’s time to see a doctor. A thorough exam and possibly an x-ray will diagnose the problem.

Sports Chiropractic care is a powerful choice for treating shin splints and reducing their recurrence. Five significant ways a sports chiropractic treatment benefits those suffering from shin splints are:

Reduction in pain

Chiropractic is proven to relieve the pain associated with bodily injuries and medical conditions, including shin splints. Sometimes one visit is enough to relieve the pain, other times the pain decreases over a series of appointments. Being able to diminish a high degree of pain down to a manageable level is possible for shin splint patients through chiropractic.

Full body alignment improves body biomechanics

The premise behind chiropractic is that it treats the body as a whole, and, in doing so, promotes healing and health to the injured or diseased areas. A chiropractor may work on your neck to help your calf. With shin splints, he or she may align your spine and joints to lessen the impact of activity on your shins. Again, the entire body is treated in order to create the best environment for health restoration.

Manual therapy like Active Release Techniques or Graston Technique.

Breaking up scar tissue, adhesions, and inflammation in the calf is key to a full recovery. Failure to treat the injured muscles with manual therapy may result in a reoccurrence of the injury.

Treating shin splints is a common procedure for chiropractors. Common practice is to adjust the calf, ankle, and foot to stretch and increase blood flow to the area.

Drug free treatment option

A primary benefit of chiropractic care is it requires no over-the-counter or prescription drugs. Individuals who suffer from stomach issues, or simply prefer to avoid drugs, find chiropractic visits a productive alternative to manage pain and promote healing.

Strengthening, Stretching and Foam Rolling

Once you are diagnosed with shin splints your doctor should prescribe therapeutic exercises, stretching, and foam rolling to help heal the injury and prevent it from coming back.

Chiropractors don’t just treat the spine. Your Doctor of Chiropractic will set an overall plan of attack for optimal recovery when dealing with shin splints.

It’s routine for sports chiropractors to alleviate the pain of shin splints. Identifying the cause of the problem and prescribing the proper treatment via adjustments, manual therapy, stretching and strengthening exercises the individual will recover faster. Pre and post activity foam rolling for the lower extremity will prevent scar tissue build up. These exercises further expand on the positive effects of the chiropractic therapy.

If you are one of the many people dealing with shin splints, don’t despair! Consider Dr. David Ness for your treatment option or in conjunction with other modes of treatment. Within a few visits, you will experience pain reduction, and enjoy a decreased risk of ever dealing with painful shin splints again.

Dr. David Ness is a sports chiropractor practicing in NY since 1988, and New Paltz, NY since 2002. Dr. Ness is in his 3rd season as the team chiropractor for Army West Point Football.  Dr. Ness has over 13 years experience working with college athletes and runners. Dr. Ness uses Active Release Techniques, cold laser, and therapeutic exercise & stretching programs to provide quick relief to patient’s suffering from shin splints.

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5 Exercise Tips For Chiropractic Patients To Speed Healing And Maintain Health

Female runner jogging during outdoor workout on beach.

Chiropractic care is designed to alleviate pain and restore the body to its natural balance. For chiropractors, injury prevention is key for a healthy body. Good practices combined with solid exercises creates toned muscles that protect the body and spine from harm. While each patient receives exercise instructions for their specific condition, the following exercise tips for chiropractic patients apply to everyone.

Do Take Time To Warm Up Before Exercising

Before starting any exercises, it’s important to warm up. A series of dynamic moves will boost your heart rate and heat up the muscles that you will be using during your work out.

Select whole body movements such as leg lunges paired with arm motion or walk in place while raising and lowering your arms. Once you’ve warmed up, you can safely stretch without risk of injury.

Introduce Ergonomics Into Your Home And Work Space

One of the most important exercise tips for chiropractic patients is to take steps to keep your body in alignment as you move through your day. In the workplace, check with an ergonomics consultant to ensure proper positioning, especially if you spend most of the day seated or doing repetitive tasks.

A comfortable chair reduces muscle strain and prevents injury. Make sure that your feet sit firmly on the floor and that lumbar support is in place. Also, make sure you get up frequently at work to stretch. If possible set up a standing desk. At home, you should have a good mattress and supportive furniture.

Choose The Right Shoes

Before you buy your next pair of shoes, check for proper arch support, stability, flexibility, and comfort. During your test drive, make sure that the shoes feel firmly in place as you move through your entire range of motion for a stable gait during wear.

Footwear should be flexible enough to give easily at the base of the toe for a smooth gait, and there should be cushioning at all the right places with plenty of room for the toes to move, and proper arch support. Shoes that properly fit your feet means that your walk will be more natural and healthy during exercise and in daily motion.

Sit And Stand With Posture In Mind

Perhaps the biggest reason that these exercise tips for chiropractic patients are so important is that strong and flexible muscles will help you have good posture. Be mindful of the following as you move through your day:

  • When sitting, your feet should be on the floor, your shoulders should be relaxed, and your forearms should remain parallel with the ground.
  • If you will be standing for a time, make sure that you maintain posture by tucking your stomach muscles in.
  • When standing for an especially long period of time, be sure to shift your weight from one foot to the other and from the heels to the toes and back again.

These simple tips for maintaining good posture will passively work your muscles and result in a healthier spine.

Passive Stretches For Large Muscles

Finally, it is important to target large muscle groups with passive exercises. Use your weight to slowly stretch your hamstrings, your piriformis, and your entire back. Passive stretching is gentle and relieves stress points that cause back pain. These gentle exercises provide a great deal of relief and are easily adjusted to suit your current ability.

Dr. Ness will work with you to design an exercise program that is optimal for you. Be sure to follow through with the plan and include these tips in your regular work out to experience the joy of healing from chiropractic care.