Everything You Need to Know About Shin Splints + What You Can Do to Avoid Them
It starts as a vague, nagging pain just above your sock line. Then it feels like someone is kicking you in the shin bone. Pretty soon, every step feels like your shin is on fire. You have shin splints (you think), and they HURT.
Shin splints are an injury that seems to plague almost every runner at some point—its “popularity” ranks somewhere just below knee pain—as well as athletes in running-heavy sports such as tennis, soccer, or field hockey. But as common and painful as they are, shin splints can be baffling to try and treat on your own. That’s because several running-related injuries mimic shin splints symptom-wise—and there’s not even a consensus among sports doctors about the exact physiological nature of a “shin splint.”
If you want to know how to treat shin splints (or how to avoid them), this Runner’s World write-up is a good place to start. You’ll get a real “Shin Splints 101,” including how to tell the difference between shin splints vs. stress fracture vs. compartment syndrome, common causes of shin splints (spoiler alert: did you up your mileage or intensity too quickly?), when to seek a doctor’s help, and what you can do to relieve pain and get back to training.
Extra credit: foot taping for shin splints
As helpful as the Runner’s World article is, it only skims over what can be a very effective treatment option: FOOT TAPING! The author mentions wrapping the leg, but taping your foot and arch in the correct way can actually offer dramatic relief from shin splints. QUICK TAPE® support straps support the arch and helps to align the foot, reducing strain on the tiny muscles and tendons in your shins and ankles. The added support from the QUICK TAPE® strap is often enough to allow the injury to “rest” and to ease pain. Many athletes notice immediate improvement in comfort just by putting on the QUICK TAPE® support strap.
Wondering where to buy QUICK TAPE® foot support straps? You’re already in the right place! Just click here to order QUICK TAPE® online. Our trial-size pack is perfect for first-timers to try QUICK TAPE® support straps to treat pain or for preventative foot taping to minimize risk of injury before a marathon or other big event. Just be sure to watch our instructional video before you apply QUICK TAPE® support straps for the first time—it’s easy to use, but important to put it on correctly to ensure it will be effective.
Here’s to happier feet and legs that’ll carry you through all life’s adventures!
