You shouldn’t ignore any pain that seems unusual to your normal everyday fatigue, aches and pains of training. Over the next few weeks in our Enertor Health series, we’re looking at common injuries that active people are susceptible to, what might cause them and our Enertor Experts fill us in on how you can prevent getting one of these injuries yourself.
To kick our Health series off, we’re looking at one of the most common running injuries out there – Shin Splints.
What causes Shin Splints?
Shin splints are usually caused by the overuse and straining of your muscles where they attach to the Tibia (shin bone). If you have shin splints you’ll often experience sharp pain at the front of the lower part of your leg.
- Sport - any activity that creates an impact on the legs and feet places strain on the lower leg muscles which is why, if you run regularly, you’re particularly susceptible to this type of injury.
- Routine - a number of other factors can make you more vulnerable to shin splints, such as not stretching or warming up properly, running on an incline or decline. Or you may simply have pushed yourself to run too fast or too far before you are ready.
- Technique - you may have high arches or pronated feet or your trainers may not be providing proper support. If you’re a “toe runner” you could be more likely to experience shin splints as the forefoot contact puts added stress on your lower leg muscles.
How can you prevent Shin Splints?
- Shin stretches - make sure you’re warming up and stretching properly before and after training. Any activity that creates an impact on the legs and feet will put strain on the lower leg muscles.
- Training plan - add some resistance training to your routine to improve the strength of your lower leg muscles. To help avoid shin splints, make sure that you stretch and warm up, especially when running on an incline or decline.
- Technique - don’t push off from your toes when running – aim to strike mid-foot. If you’re a “toe runner” you should be aware that the forefoot contact puts added stress on your lower leg muscles, making you more likely to experience shin splints.
- Footwear - ensure your trainers are a good fit and properly support the foot.
- Discipline - break your limits – but know when to stop. Listen to your body and don’t over-exert yourself.
How can Enertor insoles help?
If you already have shin splints, you should always seek medical advice before getting back to your training. But when you’re ready, ease yourself back into your usual routine and perhaps consider adding some orthotics to your trainers to avoid injury again. Enertor Performance insoles will absorb the heel strike shock, which means your lower leg muscles won’t have to work quite so hard and shin splints will be less likely to occur.
Enertor insoles absorbs 44% of the shock when the heel strikes the ground (that’s more than any other insole on the market). This shock absorption reduces forefoot contact, therefore reducing the muscular activity in the lower leg that creates shin splints.
Our unique D30 technology, plus over 18 years of Orthotics experience has enabled us to create a unique insole that can help to prevent most injuries associated with running.
Enertor insoles are currently stocked instore at Superdrug, and you can buy them online here