It is by far the most common complaint of new runners and runners setting greater mileage goals: burning pain in the shins
It is by far the most common complaint of new runners and runners setting greater mileage goals: burning pain in the shins known as “shin splints”. At first, a long, thin area inside your shinbone hurts just during exercise, but gradually, the shins with any movement. Isn’t exercise supposed to be good for us?
Technically, you’re experiencing medial tibia stress syndrome, brought on by repetitive force of your foot striking the ground. While new runners suffer most commonly from shin splints, any increase in mileage, road grade, or both can cause shin splints in seasoned runners.
The typical treatment for shin splints is ice, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, and the phrase athletes dread: rest (some doctors won’t dissuade you from exercise altogether, but will instead suggest non-impact exercise such as cycling or swimming until the pain subsides).
However, shin splints can be a recurring issue for many athletes, requiring more investment than a bag of ice and a day off. This is where compression calf sleeves boost your workout.
Compression calf sleeves are designed to fit around your shins and calves much more snugly than a regular sock. The snug fit has two major benefits: first, the sleeve stabilizes the calf and shin, which minimizes the force of your foot’s impact on your tibia. Second, the compression sleeve’s slight squeeze prevents blood from pooling around the muscles. This means that the lactic acid your muscles produce when they are tiring is removed more quickly, decreasing muscle soreness.
So don’t throw in your running shoes if shin splints are making your workouts painful – try out our compression calf sleeves during your workout, and leave them on for another 15 minutes after your workout is finished. You can still use ice and anti-inflammatories if you like, but you might not need them after all.
Anatomy of a shin splint
