Medial Tibial Stress [ syndrome | fracture ]

[tranceport]

I started running a few months back. In one of my early runs I over did it on concrete and hurt myself.

There is a certain point on my shin that if you apply any pressure it is very painful. I am curious if anyone has first hand knowledge than can tell me for sure which is my issue and how long my recovery will be?

I am currently training to be a firefighter and some of the activity aggravates the issue. However I do not want to drop out of the training.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Nobody here can tell you for sure what it is without an exam. If you're that worried about it, you should go see your doctor. You haven't even given us any info with which to evaluate your problem.

Ok, so it hurts around your shin on the medial side. How far up your shin is the pain? It could quite possibly be shin splints, especially since it occurred directly after running on hard concrete. It could also be a bunch of little stress fractures. Shin splints are a bit more common though.

Also, nobody can tell you how long it will take to recover. Shin splints are one of the easiest things to avoid. However, once you get them, they take a long, long time to go away. The best thing you can do is take a couple of days off, ice it, and take some ibuprofen for inflammation, especially before you go to sleep. When you decide to start running again, you should warm up and do some general plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle. That'll help so the muscles in the anterior compartment aren't as crowded out by the posterior compartment. Also, ice after you run for a while, even if you don't feel pain. Ice for 15 min and you should have some pretty drastic improvements.

This advice, however, is based on the frequency of shin splints, not based on the specifics of your pain (which you haven't stated - is it dull? Sharp? Aching?). You have not given us enough info to even start to conclude what it is.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Good post, SC.

I want to add that there's no way to know for sure without a bone scan. However, one doctor told me that there is a casual test you can do to see how serious the problem might be.

In bare feet, on carpet, hop up and down on the affected leg a few times. If it hurts on impact, chances are you have a stress fracture. Otherwise it's likely shin splints.

 

[tranceport]

About midway up the shin is where I can feel a sharp pain if I press it. Also if I try to run on it the impact causes dull pain with each step on that side.

How is a shin splint different from MTSS or MTSF? From what I have read they are the same thing, but wikipedia has been wrong before.

 

[darkxshade]

You should go get it x-rayed

I fractured my tibia in HS playing basketball... I had to undergo surgery and have a surgical screw in my knee which will be in there indinfintely(I see no reason to have it removed). I was in a cast for 3 months and another 6 for rehab before I could walk naturally again. It was definitely not a fun experience.

Fortuntely yours don't sound as serious as mine since you can still walk? I couldn't after the fracture.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

About midway up the shin is where I can feel a sharp pain if I press it. Also if I try to run on it the impact causes dull pain with each step on that side.

How is a shin splint different from MTSS or MTSF? From what I have read they are the same thing, but wikipedia has been wrong before.

MTSS is the formal medical term for shin splints. It is a frequent problem found in runners. MTSS does not bring fractures with it. MTSF is a stress fracture resulting from or in conjunction to shin splints.

If it's sharp with pressure and dull with running, it's just general MTSS/shin splints. Doesn't sound like a stress fracture by InflatableBuddha's standards.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

You should go get it x-rayed

I fractured my tibia in HS playing basketball... I had to undergo surgery and have a surgical screw in my knee which will be in there indinfintely(I see no reason to have it removed). I was in a cast for 3 months and another 6 for rehab before I could walk naturally again. It was definitely not a fun experience.

Fortuntely yours don't sound as serious as mine since you can still walk? I couldn't after the fracture.

Definitely not a serious fracture here. If anything, it's a hairline fracture due to running on concrete.

Oh btw OP, how is your running form? Do you run from heel to toe? That can definitely increase the likelihood of injury due to the instantaneous transfer of force.

 

[eits]

sounds like shin splints to me.

what helps mine out = ultrasound with 1/3 biofreeze and 2/3 ultrasound gel

i ultrasound my flexor digitorum longus muscle.

i tried soaking my leg in an ice water bucket... it made it worse, actually.

the only thing that helps is the ultrasound...

 

[SociallyChallenged]

sounds like shin splints to me.

what helps mine out = ultrasound with 1/3 biofreeze and 2/3 ultrasound gel

i ultrasound my flexor digitorum longus muscle.

i tried soaking my leg in an ice water bucket... it made it worse, actually.

the only thing that helps is the ultrasound...

Why did you ultrasound your FDL? That's not part of the anterior compartment that typically gets agitated by the posterior compartment. Also, the bucket of ice water hurts like crazy. Localized ice massage is much more effective and much less painful

 

[eits]

Why did you ultrasound your FDL? That's not part of the anterior compartment that typically gets agitated by the posterior compartment. Also, the bucket of ice water hurts like crazy. Localized ice massage is much more effective and much less painful

ice massage didn't help, so i said "fuck it" and stuck my foot in a bucket of ice water haha

i ultrasounded my fdl because it was inflamed and tight. i did some stretches and tried being more perceptive of what was going on with my gait and i figured out that my fdl was the cause of my pain. my soleus is a little inflamed after running, too, but by ultrasounding, the waves will undoubtedly hit that too.

i have true shin splints, not anterior compartment syndrome.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

ice massage didn't help, so i said "fuck it" and stuck my foot in a bucket of ice water haha

i ultrasounded my fdl because it was inflamed and tight. i did some stretches and tried being more perceptive of what was going on with my gait and i figured out that my fdl was the cause of my pain. my soleus is a little inflamed after running, too, but by ultrasounding, the waves will undoubtedly hit that too.

i have true shin splints, not anterior compartment syndrome.

True shin splints? I was under the impression that MTSS/shin splints were the same as anterior compartment syndrome.

 

[eits]

True shin splints? I was under the impression that MTSS/shin splints were the same as anterior compartment syndrome.

true shin splints are caused primarily by fdl and soleus and happen in the medial aspect, sometimes posteriomedial. anterior compartment syndrome is caused by the extensors and is on the lateral aspect of the shin (overuse injury due to lots of dorsiflexion).

i'd much rather have shin splints than anterior compartment syndrome... it's easier to treat, and your periosteum, eventually, adapts to your running if you treat it right. if you don't it could result in stress fractures.

in anterior compartment syndrome, you run the risk of biomechanical deficits (total lack of foot dorsiflexion) due to all the inflamed tendons under the transverse crural ligament (i had to look that one up... forgot what it was called ).