Ankle and Foot >Â Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome is commonly known as “Shin Splints'' and refers to pain along the front of the shin. This condition is most common in runners, basketball players, soccer players, and dancers. While MTSS itself is fairly benign, training through prolonged symptoms can lead to stress fractures.
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Mechanism of Injury: Repetitive or increased stress placed on the muscles and connective tissue as they attach to your shin.
Contributing Factors: Ankle/calf stiffness. Foot structure (flat feet or high arches). Training errors. Flat feet/high arches. Hip stiffness/weakness. Improper running mechanics.
Signs/Symptoms: Pain in along the front of the lower leg. Mild swelling in the lower leg. Increased pain with running/jumping.
At Home Tests:Â Self-palpation (palpate along the tibial boarder, highlighted in the image)
At Home Treatment: Avoid irritating activity. Aggressive calf foam rolling and stretching.
When to Seek Help: Contact your physical therapist immediately after an ankle sprain. A few simple tests in the clinic can determine if an x-ray is necessary - most of the time it isn’t! They can also provide immediate treatment (most effective within 24-48 hrs of injury) to get you back in the game weeks ahead of typical treatment protocols.
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Treatment at Inspired Athletx: We do ankle sprains (without associated fracture) differently at Inspired Athletx. No crutches. No boot. Just high quality manual therapy and active rehab that gets you back in the game before most protocols will have you out of a boot. Why do we avoid long term immobilization? The negative effects of immobilization (stiffness, weakness, decreased balance and neuromuscular control) for mild-moderate sprains far outweigh any benefits. We liken it to putting an ACL repair patient in a cast for 4 weeks (like they used to back in the 80s and 90s) - in 20 years, our style of treatment will be the norm. Until the rest of the orthopedic world catches up, we’ll keep getting you back to activity in half the time! Click here to schedule a physical therapy evaluation with us.
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Disclaimer: The content contained in this section of the website is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to function as a substitute for a professional diagnosis or treatment from a licensed healthcare provider.
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