Chronic Shin Splints Can Be Treated with Sports Orthotics

If you love to run or taking part in team sports, you’re at risk for shin splints, pain in the knees, Achilles tendonitis, and other lower extremity injuries. Medial tibial stress syndrome, as it is referred to by the Mayo Clinic, is a pain that travels down the distance of the shin bone and is caused by undue stress on the bones, muscles, and ligaments of the lower leg. This stress can be caused by by running activities in any setting and can be made worse by flat feet and insufficient support of the arches.

Many leading sports therapy experts suggest using ice, temporarily ceasing running or sports, and using more comfortable shoes, preferably in conjunction with sports orthotics. Icing the shin and adjacent structures in the lower leg help relieve pain while lessening the amount of swelling immediately after an injury. Rest is always advised because it allows for the bones, tendons and muscles to repair themselves. Finally, using more comfortable shoes can radically help deter re-injury to the lower legs and feet by providing better cushioning and arch support. This promotes good foot position and takes in shock. Sports orthotics can significantly enhance endurance and performance because they offer support for the foot arches and extra cushioning. For people with flat feet, these special sports orthotics raise the arch appropriately and rebalance the feet.

Overpronation due to flat feet can cause more than just shin pain to occur. Heel spurs and plantar fasciitis, ankle, knee, and low back pain, as well as Achilles tendonitis can be caused by flat feet. If sports orthotics are not worn during physically stressful sports activities, re-injury and major foot pain can ensue. The workings involved in these ailments are linked to the plantar fascia tendon, which is the key structure involved in the arch of the foot. It is an elastic structure that elongates to absorb the shock produced when the foot bears weight during activity. In people with flat feet, this tissue has been over-stretched and has lost its ability to elongate. Its capacity to absorb shock has been severely diminished. This situation also causes overpronation of the foot, or the tendency for the ankles to roll toward the center of the body. The weight of the body is then incorrectly centered on one area rather than being equally distributed over the total area of the foot. This is how sport insoles can make all the difference in cases of flat feet and other foot problems; they provide stability and softness in the proper spots.