United Health Kent

Summary Shin splints are a general term for pain on the inside of the shin.

Shin splints are a general term used to describe pain on the front of the shin which is brought on by exercise. There are a number of causes of shin pain, but here we shall consider one of most common reasons for shin splints which is the muscle/ tendon on the front of the shin called the tibialis anterior.

Tibialis anterior shin splints are common in endurance athletes such as runners or long distance walkers.

Tibialis anterior joins onto the shin bone (tibia) runs down the inside front of the shin across the ankle and attaches onto the inside of the foot. Tibialis anterior has two roles to play when walking or running. Firstly when the heel hits the floor on each stride it works to pay out and lower the foot to the ground. Next when the foot pushes off the ground the muscle bends the ankle up to allow the foot to clear the ground.

What Causes Shin Splints?

Increasing training too quickly. Training should be gradually ramped up. Anterior shin splints are common in people who return to running after a period away from training or in those who have recently taken up running and have increased their mileage too quickly.

Tight calf muscles. A common cause of shin pain, tight calf muscles alter the range of movement that the ankle can move through on every stride and thus add extra stress to the anterior tibial muscle.

Overpronation. Also associated with tight calf muscles a foot which rolls over too far on every step is overstretching the anterior tibials.

Inappropriate footwear, for instance running in trainers which do not provide the appropriate motion control for your foot type.

 How to Stop Shin Splints

• Exercises provided by your Physiotherapist, including specific stretches and eccentric strengthening.
• Ice relieves the immediate pain and inflammation.
• Footwear adaption/ orthotics.
• Phased return to exercise.

Other Causes of Medial Shin Pain

Although the most common cause of medial shin pain is associated with the tibialis anterior and can be treated as described, it is important to rule out other causes of shin pain including:

Stress fracture.

Compartment syndrome: A potentially very serious condition where swelling of the muscles puts pressure on the surrounding structures.

Referred pain: Pain which although felt in the shin is caused by a nerve being compressed in the lower back.

Vascular pain: pain due to impaired circulation

 If you think that you have shin splints or are concerned about shin pain contact us today.

Most of us know we should stretch when we exercise, but can be guilty of skipping this part of our training. For more information on why we stretch and when see our past post ‘Warm up and cool down – why bother and what to do’.

Some common stretches that are often forgotten or not known about, but can be very useful, particularly for those doing weight bearing exercises i.e. walking, running are;

• Ilio-tibial band (ITB) stretch: 

• Soleus stretch

• Pirformis stretch

10 tips for successful marathon training

1. Stretching is not optional. Protect your body from injury by learning how to stretch properly and incorporating those stretches into every run, no matter how short.

2. Even the most devoted marathon runners take a day off each week. This is yet another way to protect your body from injury.

3. Don’t push through the pain. Pay attention to signals from your body that you need a break or that something is wrong.

4. Marathon runners don’t just race marathons. Incorporating shorter races like 5k’s, 10k’s into your marathon training schedule is an excellent way to prepare for the upcoming 26.2 miles.

5. Incorporate hills, even if your marathon course will be flat. Going uphill helps you train for increased power while going downhill is a lesson in speed.

6. You don’t have to run every single day to call yourself a runner. Cross training is valuable and can shake up your marathon routine so you never get bored.

7. Learn the time of day that your marathon will be raced and run some of your runs at that time. This is especially helpful if you are in the same climate and time zone as your marathon destination.

8. Wear your marathon gear in during marathon training runs. There should be nothing new on your body come race day. You want to know that everything works properly and feels comfortable.

9. Work your marathon training schedule into your daily life. A set routine will ensure your loved ones are not neglected and your training sessions actually happen as planned.

10. Get ready and willing to adjust your routine and change your marathon running schedule as needed. You will be training for a long period of time and success will depend on your ability to bend when things change or special circumstances come up.

4 most common cricket injuries

1.    Running injuries

Hamstring pulls are common in cricketers, especially in players who spend their week sitting down. To avoid this, you must train your hamstrings to move efficiently while you are running, jogging and sprinting.

2. Throwing injuries

Both throwing and bowling involve a lot of work from the muscles in your shoulders. This is particularly true of the stabilising muscles such as the rotator cuff.

3. Back injuries

Bowlers are most likely to get lower back problems through overuse, even if they have a good strong action.

The stronger the muscles of your back and trunk the less chance of injury. Press ups and planks are useful exercises to include in training sessions.

4. Lower limb injuries

Apart from the hamstrings there are a number of other possible issues, especially for bowlers. Hips and ankles need to be both strong and mobile. Knees need to be strong and stable.

For more advice about preventing injuries or if you have an injury and need help contact us today.

The shoulder is a very important joint in many sports.  It is an extremely mobile joint and relies on good muscle control to maintain stability.

Repetitive movements place considerable stress on the shoulder and can lead to injuries through incorrect technique or biomechanics.  The shoulder is also easily injured in contact sports.

The most common injuries that occur at the shoulder are:

Tendinitis 
Tendinitis occurs as a result of overuse and/or poor biomechanics.  Treatment may involve avoiding the aggravating activity, ice, ultra-sound therapy and soft tissue mobilisations.  If there are biomechanical these must be assessed and corrected through a structured programme which will involve specific exercises.

Impingement
Impingement occurs when there is a trapping of the tendons of the rotator cuff between the humerus and the end of the collar bone.  The problem can be further complicated by irregular bony outgrowths which are often present in older people.

When the arm is moved upwards and rotated inwards (e.g. freestyle swimming) the soft tissues are compressed.  Repeated movement and compression leads to inflammation and swelling, which further increases the impingement.

The causes of Shoulder Pain are numerous and injuries need to be accurately diagnosed before the appropriate treatment can be implemented.  In addition to this any technical or biomechanical problems should be fully assessed by your Physiotherapist.

Call us today to arrange an assessment with one of our experienced Physiotherapists.

Why should I warm up and cool down?

There are numerous health benefits associated with performing an effective warm up and cool down before and after sport or activity. These include:

• Reduced likelihood of injury
• Improved athletic performance
• Greater mental concentration
• Improved fitness
• Faster recovery from activity
• Improved flexibility

What is the purpose of a warm up?

The purpose of an effective warm up is to increase your heart rate and body temperature and to facilitate blood flow to the muscles to be used during the activity. This increase in blood flow, heart rate and body temperature during the warm up improves the elasticity of both muscles and joints, alerts neural pathways and stimulates muscles in preparation for performance. An effective warm up will also help to evenly distribute lubricating fluid throughout the joints to be used therefore reducing friction during movement.

Benefits of cool down

An appropriate cool down following sport or activity is essential for the body’s recovery process. Not only will an effective cool down assist with decreasing muscle soreness in the following days, but it will also assist in reducing muscle shortening and injury likelihood. Furthermore, an effective cool down will improve performance for the next session, especially if the sport or activity is required shortly after.

Basic warm up and cool down

If have no warm up or cool down in your present routine and your exercise routine includes activities like jogging/running, gym work or cycling then follow these basic guidelines for warm up and cool down.

How long should I warm up for?

Try to aim for 5-10 minutes of warm up activities.

How to warm up

The first phase of a warm up should involve a low intensity cardiovascular exercise such as light jogging or walking to increase the heart rate and blood flow to muscles.

You can then progress to dynamic stretching. This is when you go into a stretch but do not hold it i.e. lunges, heel kicks etc.

After dynamic stretches you should then gradually work into your activity with increasing intensity as able.

Basic cool down

Now is the time when you add in your slow stretches. Take particular care to ensure you are stretching each muscle group that has had to work during your activity. At this stage the stretch should be slow and controlled, holding for 10-40 seconds, repeat each stretch 2 times depending on comfort. Do not bounce into the stretch and do not reproduce pain – only mild discomfort transient with the stretch may be felt.

Advanced warm up and cool down

If you already have some warm up routine and/or take part in team activities or sports to a more advanced level try this advanced warm up.

How long should I warm up for?

A warm should be 15-20 minutes in duration and should progress through a variety of stages and warm up activities.

How to warm up

As a general guideline, an effective warm up should produce mild sweating without fatigue and should progress through four phases:

Warm up – Phase 1

The first phase of a warm up should involve a low intensity cardiovascular exercise such as light jogging or walking to increase the heart rate and blood flow to muscles. This phase of the warm up should last for 5-10 mins.

Warm up – Phase 2

The second phase of the warm up should involve dynamic range of movement exercises to loosen up the joints and muscles to be used. This phase of the warm up should focus on those specific body parts to be used for that particular sport. These warm up stretches should be dynamic rather than static as static stretches will decrease heart rate and cause a cooling effect thereby opposing the goals of a warm up. Some examples of dynamic warm up stretches include: lunges, squats, lower back rotations, trunk rotations, leg kicks, arm rotations etc.

Warm up – Phase 3

The third phase of a warm up should entail warm up activities involving agility, acceleration, deceleration and speed drills, preparing your body for faster movements that will be required for your particular sport. This should involve a gradual progression starting at low intensity and building up to greater intensity. This phase of the warm up may involve, for example, repeated strides, initially in straight lines and at low intensities and then progressing to change of direction and greater intensities.

Warm up – Phase 4

The fourth and final phase of a warm up is the sport specific phase. This is where you perform the skills involved in your particular sport, initially at low intensity and then building up to greater intensity. For example, footballers may perform warm up activities such as running, jumping drills and kicking for goal, basket ballers may perform dribbling, passing, shooting and rebounding etc. By the end of this phase of the warm up you should be performing your particular skill at 100%, thereby ensuring you body is ready to perform the required skills in a match situation at 100%.

Advanced cool down

Now is the time when you add in your slow stretches. Take particular care to ensure you are stretching each muscle group that has had to work during your activity. At this stage the stretch should be slow and controlled, holding for 10-40 seconds, repeat each stretch 2 times depending on comfort. Do not bounce into the stretch and do not reproduce pain – only mild discomfort transient with the stretch may be felt.

If you have any questions about sports injuries or injury prevention contact: info@unitedhealthkent.com