Pain in the lower leg

Pain in the lower leg usually occurs during or immediately after a change in the degree of activity, such as running for long distances. Although the term "shin pain" is often used, it is not a specific medical diagnosis, but a symptom of various diseases. Where do the shin pain come from and what are their causes?

[1], [2], [3], [4]

Common causes of pain in the lower leg

Pain in the lower leg is very common. They can influence the reactions and quality of life of a person, especially those involved in sports. Pain in the shin causes swelling or inflammation of the muscles and tendons, a thin layer of tissue that covers the shin bone inflames.

A common cause of this pain is excessive overexertion from too active activity or training, when a person does not give himself time to heal or repair damaged and overstretched tissues.

Often a sharp change in the sensations in the lower leg can be the reason for the classes, such as:

• Aerobic Dancing
• Military training
• Overcoming long distances, hiking

Flat feet or a very hard arch of the foot can cause pain in the lower part of the foot if the person is many and often moves and does not rest.

[5], [6], [7], [8]

Other causes of leg pain:

Chronic edema and inflammation of the external side of the leg. This can cause numbness and clumsiness of the foot during training.

Fractures usually cause severe pain 1 or 2 cm below the knee.

Causes and risk factors for shin pain

Pain in the lower leg can be caused by various diseases, among them the compression syndrome (muscle pressure increase as a result of physical exercises), tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon), myositis (muscle inflammation), muscle rupture or periostitis (inflammation of the outer layer of the bone).

[9], [10]

Alternative areas of pain

Pain in the shin can occur in front of the lower leg. Pain can be localized in areas along the inner edge of the tibia, a large bone in the lower part of the legs.

The pain can also be troubling in the anterior tibial pain area, and can be localized in the posterior tibia.

[11], [12], [13],

Symptoms of shin pain

Pain in the lower leg - inflammation of the tendons and muscles of the lower leg - is usually caused by the impact of strenuous exercise.

The tibia is covered with the periosteum, the shin is also composed of a group of soft tissues, nerve endings and blood vessels. Slightly above the ankle and below the knees, the tendons of the muscles will help to attach to the periosteum. When the shin is excessively tense, the pain can be delivered to the periosteum, tendons, muscles, to the shin, or into four sections of the calf muscles, which are covered with connective tissue (the so-called fascia). If you periodically overexert the lower leg, these areas can become inflamed and hurt.

Pain in the lower leg often occurs due to seasonal injuries, which usually occur when you get a lot of physical activity after a long break. They can also arise as a result of playing sports (for example, tennis) on a hard surface. Especially if you have changed your style of shoes for training to a lighter one, while significantly increasing the workout load or having loaded yourself with a significant amount of physical exercises.

The pain in front of the leg is due to trauma to the muscles or tendons that help lift the forefoot and lead to pain in the front of the outer leg. It happens that the back of the lower leg hurts (pain that renders in the area along the back and on the inside of the shin and ankle). It is usually caused by tension in the muscles that help maintain and stabilize the arch of the foot.

It is very important in trauma to distinguish the pain of the calf muscles with a bruise from the pain in the fracture (or it may be a small crack on the bone located in the shin), which develops slowly as a result of a repeated load and physical impact on the leg. Symptoms of pain develop during exercise and include sudden, burning pain.

Unlike other stages of pain in the lower leg, where the pain occurs in different parts of it, with a fracture of the bone, you can accurately determine the place where the pain comes from. In an easy and moderate stage of the load, if there are no traumatic injuries to the leg, the pain immediately subsides when the exercise is over and the leg is healed completely provided a good rest for a month or so.

Pain from fractures should be taken seriously, so if you suspect that you have a fracture, dislocation or bruise, you should consult a doctor before continuing to engage in any sport.

The nature of shin pain

Pain in the tibia is characterized by pain in the anterior and lateral parts of the tibia, which develops and worsens with physical activity. There may also be soreness and swelling of the lower leg due to the accumulation of fluid in the surrounding tissues. Pain in the lower leg is a common problem for runners.

What questions should I ask my doctor about shin pain?

• How long can ice packs be used?
• How long does it take to heal the shin?
• What exercises will you advise?

Call your doctor if

• Although the treatment of leg pain has already been performed, you may need to call your doctor if:
• Pain continues and is resistant, even after rest
• You are not sure that your pain is caused by a leg injury
• Your condition does not improve after treatment at home for several weeks

[14], [15],

Treatment of shin pain

If the pain is very severe, or you suspect that you have a fracture, see a doctor for an examination. After the doctor conducts a survey and examination, he can offer an X-ray examination to detect cracks in the bones of the shin - a sign of a fracture.

If the syndrome of chronic pain is localized in the lower part of the leg, most likely, it is about squeezing the diseased portion of the muscle. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed in the case of a squeezing syndrome, in more severe cases surgery may be recommended.

Self-help for pain in the lower leg

At the first signs of pain in the region of the legs, you need to stop moving with your legs. Attempting to move through pain will only exacerbate the condition and lead to a worsening of the condition.

First, you need to massage the area with ice to reduce inflammation and irritation. Ice acts as a high-speed, anti-inflammatory agent.

To relieve pain and reduce swelling, your doctor may suggest taking ibuprofen according to the scheme.

If fractures or other injuries of the shin are used, heat can not be applied first in this area. The causes of pain in the lower leg can be inflammatory processes, and the heat will only irritate the area of pain even more.

The healing time after shin aches due to injuries can be as little as two to three weeks (if you reduce the load and apply aggressive self-help measures), and in some cases recovery may take 12 to 14 weeks before the pain subsides.

Home care for lower leg pain

Begin the process of healing the lower leg with 2 - 4 weeks rest.

Rest from any physical activity (except walking for daily activities) for at least 2 weeks. You can try light exercises for unloading the lower leg, such as swimming or cycling.

After 2 - 4 weeks, when the pain has passed, you can start working again physically. Increase the activity level slowly. If pain returns, stop exercising immediately. Preheat and stretch before and after any workout.

Use ice or cold compress on the area of the shin pain for 20 minutes twice a day. Painkillers bought in a pharmacy without a prescription can also help.

Talk with your doctor or physiotherapist about wearing proper shoes, orthopedic insoles for shoes.

In case of a fracture, consult a doctor immediately. Most patients after fractures should walk on crutches and avoid any physical activity.

Questions of the doctor for pains in the lower leg can be as follows:

Time of disease pattern

1. When did the pain in the lower leg begin?
2. Was it uninterrupted all this time?

The nature of shin pain

1. Describe the pain.
2. Is it a sharp pain?
3. Do you have numbness and tingling in your leg?
4. Did your foot become clunky during training?

Localization of pain

1. Are both legs affected by pain or just one?
2. Where exactly do you feel pain in your leg?

Mitigating Factors

1. How long have you felt pain?
2. Did you increase the number of workouts or loads before the shin pain arose?
3. Perhaps, before the appearance of pain in the lower leg, you changed the type of exercise?

Self-help factors

1. What did you do to eliminate the pain? What medications did you take?
2. How well did your money help?
3. What symptoms did you have at the beginning and how did they change after self-treatment?

The operation for pain in the lower leg may be necessary in rare cases, when the shin pain does not go away even after prolonged treatment.

Prevention of shin aches

Pain in the shin can be avoided with the help of some precautions.

Replace or repair the exercise shoes that you are wearing - it must protect the heels. Switch to well-fitting shoes with lots of moisture absorbing materials, especially in front of the foot and heel area.

Remember that your sneakers can lose most of their shock-repelling properties after only 500 km of jogging.

Do a warm-up before jogging - walk first on foot, then gradually increase the speed of jogging.

When your heart rate rises and you sweat slightly, stop and stretch the leg muscles with the pull of the foot. One way to stretch the strained muscles of the calf and Achilles tendon after reheating is slow walking on heels for a distance of 100-200 meters.

Whenever you go for a run or walk, go or run on the ground, grass or rubberized path to minimize injuries to the shin.

On the course of aerobics, make sure that the floor is made of wood and slightly raised from the ground, this will reduce the impact of shocks and impacts when jumping and dancing.

If you have any questions or concerns about your condition during exercise, consult your doctor.