What Causes Shin Pain?

Shin pain is a common occurrence, especially in runners or other people who exercise frequently. The cause of this pain can be a common cold, shin splints, or damage to the calf muscle. Sometimes, improper shoe fit is also blamed for shin pain. Though dozens of other potential causes exist, these are some of the most common. The exact location of the pain along with the severity can help determine the cause.

Moderate to severe shin pain in the calf may be calf muscle damage. More specifically, the calf muscle tissue is torn. This is usually caused by overstretching the muscle during a sports game, jog, or other physical activity. An occasional symptom of calf muscle damage is bruising in that area, which is brought about by damaged blood vessels. Typically, the treatment for a calf muscle strain is rest and elevation of the leg, though ice may be applied.

Very mild shin pain accompanied by a runny nose and eyes, sneezing, and other cold-like symptoms might be the common cold. The common cold frequently causes minor aches and pains throughout the body. In this case, the pain should go away once the cold has run its course. If the pain is more than an ache and does not ease along with the other cold symptoms, the shin pain is likely caused by something else.

Moderate to very severe shin pain located around the shin bone is often called shin splints. This is usually caused by a highly physical activity such as running or jogging. With this type of shin pain, the pain is usually at its worse when the person is walking or running. People with flat feet are at a higher risk of developing shin splints; supportive running shoes are recommended in this case. Once the condition is brought about, the person should rest for up to three months and avoid lifting heavy objects.

Lastly, a potential and highly debated cause of shin pain is an improper shoe fit. Many runners suffer a running injury, such as shin splints, at least once in their lifetime, and some blame their running shoes. Getting a perfect fit is difficult because most people have mismatched feet, and feet tend to expand throughout the day. In addition, there is no official definition of the perfect fit, only guidelines that can help achieve a good fit. Even so, many experts agree that properly fitting, comfortable running shoes are important for the activity, though their reasons may vary.