Chronic Anterior Shin Pain

Question:

Chronic Anterior Shin Pain

Up until my injury I had been running for 14 months at which I joined a collegiate XC team. I'm pretty sure that dramatic increase in mileage and intensity lead to my injury, but I am more concerned about how to recover.

About 10 months ago, which was when I first experienced symptoms, several spots of pain arose on the side of my shin, typical to shin splints. I did not think to stop and the pain quickly escalated to encompass my calf, all along my fibula, and especially my tibialis anterior muscle. I began biking for about 7 months, but then stopped because of hamstring pain. Now I am returning to running, but there is still pain in the top region of my tiblialis anterior, particularly within 4 inches below the knee, an area which frequent unexplainable bruising would occur.

I have thought that it might be compartment syndrome, because the pain would go from about 2/10 to 7/10 throughout a run, but I did not experience mini-hernias that a doctor would say that I would have, or because the muscle did not get overly swolen or unusually stiff. However, when I begin a run, my calf and anterior shin muscle (I think it's the tibialis anterior) feel tight and moderately sore at first, then as the run progresses, my shin muscle gets very painful (sort of a deep ache that increases with distance and does not improve with massage or stretching) but my calf pain does not impede my running.

I have been stretching religiously and been given orthodics. I have tried strengthening my shins, but it ends up in increased soreness that does not return to the usual aching level for about 5 days.

Do you have any ideas what the problem may be and what I cold do to get back to the sport that I fell I could have a great future in?

Thanks very much!

Asked by jsdubie - 0 answers - 11 weeks 5 days ago