Shin Splints Or Stress Fracture - How To Tell If You Have A Shin Splint Or A Stress Fracture
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- Every year during the change of seasons we see more and more athletes come into the clinic with shin pain. Why?
That’s a really good question.
More often than not this relates to doing too much activity too quickly. Some examples:
A high school cross country runner who did not train over the summer starts practicing 5-6 times per week.
A soccer player who had not been training now practices 5+ times a week.
A tumbling athlete who used to practice 1-2x/week is now practicing 5.
The “shin splint” phenomenon (medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome), is common knowledge amongst most parents, coaches, and trainers. When an athlete complains of shin pain, this is the first thing that comes to mind. The problem with shin pain is it isn’t always as simple as that good ol’ shin splint. Sometimes, there is a bigger problem at hand. That is why I wanted to chat shin splint versus stress fracture a bit. One is often mistaken for the other, which ultimately causes more harm than good.
So, what is the difference between a shin splint and stress fracture.
To keep it simple, shin splints are an overuse injury of a muscle. When addressed early, they are easily treatable with activity modification and proper strengthening tasks. Stress fractures are small breaks in bone caused by repetitive force. These require time off from sport to let the bone heal, followed by a prescribed return to sport programming.
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I recognized Visible Body immediately! Spent hours on it through the anatomy semester in med school. It’s an awesome tool and really helped me get through those tough months of anatomy
Hello Doc Ashley, Great advise n great video! Love you're articulation in explaining the differences! You nailed it and very easy to understand! Thnx again!
Excellent video, wish I had seen this sooner!
Thank you so much for this information, I’m currently feeling pain in my shin I wasn’t sure if it’s stress fracture or shin splints. It seems more like it’s shin splints.
This video is so well explained!
Thanks for watching
Phenomenal video - clear and concise.
Thanks for watching!
Its going tibia okay XD
Very nice
Can’t help but be stressed about this though, feel like this comment could splinter into different sub comments.
Thanks for this Doctor. The description fits shin splints exactly and the pain only occurs a couple of times a day, the frequency having decreased since I wore a compression tube. When it does hurt the pain is stabbing over about a four inch area and is very intense. No other symptoms.
I had the same pain over a four inch area. Turn out that I had a stress fracture.
@@chuletasromo You had it put in plaster?
@@jamesmilton8765 negative, just a cool boot.
how are you now
Great video! Not a runner, but active in my younger years. I'll be 64 in a couple of days, 6'2", 197 lbs, and I'm on a hard floor for most of time at work (large grocery store) with occasional stops on rubber mats. My pain started slowly in the lower leg about a week ago and it increases with activity, but does diminish with rest and ice. There is no swelling. The pain seems to be getting less forgiving by the day. I feel some pain and sensitivity when I put pressure on the areas you mention around 2:20 on your video, but the pain seems to extend to the top of the foot and ankle area, making it hard to drive home by using the car's accelerator. It's hard to pivot the foot after some use iow. My question is about the extension of the pain. Whether it is shin splints, or a stress fracture, would such (radiant?) dull pain extending to the top of the foot and ankle area be "normal"? Would it cause hot, dull, unlocalized foot pivot area pain and discomfort? Thank you so much for the very informative video, Doctor. :)
Great info!!! Thanks!!!
You bet! Thanks for watching!
@@Feldmanphysicaltherapy Absolutely!!!
I'm very late but my range is around 9-12 cm now if I tap it or rub it it hurts a lot any hit to it will hurt a lot I feel it when I'm walking. one time I woke up in the night because of the pain and couldn't fall asleep till I took ibuprofen and melatonin. Now I have this pain mostly in one shin but It's also in my other just not as painful. During football I had to take ibuprofen everyday just to be able to run and such I didn't want to quit football. This pain is a sharp type of pain and is only dull when walking I always feel it no matter what, any type of strike like a jump a jog or sprinting. Jumping and walking doesn't hurt as much but jogging and sprinting is where pain is the most intense. Stretching does not hurt at all. My mother and trainer told me that "it's just shin splints" but I have more stress fracture symptoms than shin splints. What are your thoughts?
Thank you dr for the wonderful topic about chin spIint I have soccer player who suffer from chin splint almost a month and it's not getting better ..and all the tests are Negative what can it be .and what can be done
Great help. Thanks. One sub more.
My shin splints are mild. When they get pretty sore, they can be sore in a large area. Mostly, they are sore in a small area and more sore in a single spot. The way i found to know is that when i rub them to check their recovery, it stay sore of a bit afterwards. So i could have no pain, run the area to check it and have a little bit of discomfort for a few minutes afterwards. Because you are rubbing an internal wound. A stress fracture, i would think, wouldnt do this. It would be more pain if you tap the bone. Shin splints would have a part thats more painful where the greatest damage is so it can be confusing. Also, mine do get sore during a run but they dont get sharp pains. And they appear to be the muscle used when catching the foot. The upward flex of thw foot. Correct me if i am wrong because i wanna learn ✌️
All my symptoms points to a stress fracture
I did 30 miles in 2 days. Trekking, and running, hauling heavy logs with a backpack
I did run flat footed/w heel strikes due to fatigue and the backpack
I just don't have time for this BS right now.
Hoped it was just a common bruise from hitting my shine on something, but no bruise is visible
I likely have normal shin splints but my concern is that it is in one spot with the most pain. In the past I have had shin splints along the part she stated with a general area but for the past few months it's been in one spot. It usually gets better(pain reduction) over the weekend but after 2 days of practice I'm in just as much pain if not the same amount as before. I just got done with my season so I am very relieved but for sure I am actively going to train to prevent shin splints
Any update? PLEASE
Hello, I hear a lot about shin splints and stress fractures but nothing about stress reactions which is what a physio diagnosed me with. He recommended I don't do anything weight bearing for 6 weeks. I rested for 2 months then tried to do very light rehab with strengthening and stretching. Just one workout day will have me sore / feeling clunky in the knees / shins for a whole week, which really hampers my progress. I will also get phantom pains on some days and some without even without adding stimulus. Any ideas?
Hi Dr. I've been experiencing shin stiffness and swelling during soccer activity sessions. I've also noticed an increase in lumps on both shins as the swelling increases. Is this a sign of Shin Splints or Stress Fracture?
Swelling and stiffness usually decreases during activity only if I'm not moving or running.
Bump
Thanks, it was intresting to know. But can i replace running with cycling if i have a stress-fracture ?
Hello, doctor. Thank you for this information. It was quite helpful, and may others find this useful too.
But as you mentioned the conditions of both, i'm a bit confused about my condition. I'll explain.
On the right side of my right legged shin bone, i'm feeling a tingling sensation (in the foot not whole body) like a little shock whenever i press a certain point just 6-7 inches above my feet and just outer of the shin bone.
Can you examine it anyhow. It'll be a big help, Thank you!
I have symptoms of both the cases
I have a question for you:
I had a direct blow injury to my shin with a heavy bag of canned goods to my tibia and it was instant pain to the point that I could not walk for some time and had limped for days after. It was four months ago, and a couple weeks ago I bumped it on a cot at work-not hard, just bumped, and I practically couldn’t walk on it AGAIN. Now it aches all the time. I went to the dr, but a nurse practitioner looked at X-rays and told me I have one singular shin splint. I’m not an athlete. I seldom ever run, but I do work out from time to time, also no running, but elliptical. There was a direct injury. I don’t understand how this nurse is so insistent that it’s just a single shin splint when none of the symptoms for that align with the pain I’m living with. I know you cannot diagnose, and I certainly have even less trust in doctors now, but I’m wondering if I should seek a second opinion? Dude never even examined my leg past touching my knee to confirm that my knee was good🤷🏽♀️
I have both places on both legs @ same time, so I assume also likely to be medial tibial stress is that right please? Never had it before, I am a runner and have been for years
Thank you darling for clearing that up. I was worried I had a stress facture, I got alittle sore shins on both sides in a small area. I don't know what I would do if i had to stop running.
"Darling" is not the right term to address a female(unless you know her personally).
You will be deemed a creep by most.
@@freddyfox5002 In the uk its used loads only creep is you acting like shes your wife.
@@lukevirtualgameruk3523 I worked and lived with British people for well over a year, in a posh place. Nobody used that terminology.
@@freddyfox5002 she's not your wife stop being a creep like you own her. People use it all the time and mean nothing by it. Go get your own wife and worry about her you creepy stalker f
@@lukevirtualgameruk3523 LOL
You are so far gone.
ive had shin pain for a few months but i cant tell if its shin splints or stress factures because 1. there is pain on both legs 2. >5 cms, but i only feel pain when sprinting on my toes
I have some type of pain i dont know what it is i used to have bone pain in my shin and i've went to doctor but he cant clear anything about it and if i play soccer or i run my shin will start to have pain and i dont play soccer or run for 2 years and now i start playing soccer again but my shin is still in pain. Can u guys make a video about this?
Can you help me because I don’t know which one I have. Basically I have had shin splints before around 1 year ago, and I pushed through them causing a stress fracture on my right leg, then I stopped and healed it. And then 1 month ago, I felt shin pain in both legs and this pain reminded me of shin splints, so then I pushed through it (only for 2 days tho) and then I realized i should stop pushing and try to heal it. So now I only feel shin pain on my right leg and it’s like a generalized area of my lower inner leg, but I don’t think I have a stress fracture because everytime I run or warm up it gets better so what do I have?
My stress fracture is a reoccurring one even after taking a rest from activities for more than a year.
Will vitamin d3 supplements help me to treat that permanently?
Everything points to stress fracture for me except i have it in both sides. so now I am more unsure.
At first I thought I might have a stress fracture bcz my shins hurt rly bad right when I wake up, or when I’m warming up before practice. I’m really glad to hear that’s actually a symptom of shin splints and not a fracture! My left shin hurts the most, and it’s usually bad early in the morning and for the first 15 min after I wake up when I’m trying to start walking around and get the blood flowing. They also hurt during practice but it’s significantly less than in the mornings, and only when I’m doing suicides or gassers repeatedly
Typically feel the same in the left leg, I can see a little bump when I run. For me the pain only occurs when I play sports that involves running. After I'm done, it goes away. I might be dealing with a stress fracture I guess.
@@rkslounge8117 hopefully you don’t, although if u think u do make sure to stop playing because (spoiler alert) I DID have stress fractures! Multiple ones in both frickin legs 🤦♀️. I was in a boot with crutches for 6 weeks, and it’s been 16 weeks since I got it off but I only just this week returned to normal play (and I’m slow af now 😭)
@@BigLepordy1242 Damn, I feel you bro. Stay strong man!
I just have pain in there during a soccer game. But Idk what it is. Once I stop playing you could say the pain becomes forgotten
Mine is same
I started jumping rope recently and my shin has been killing me and i thought it was just my muscles that are painful but this is a different type of pain
lol I have pain in one localized spot that gets worse when running. Had an MRI and it said I was all normal. So wtf do I have? Doesn’t sound like shin splits
I was worried it was a fracture, becouse it a sharp really focused area of pain. But It does warm up and its the worst when I wake up
When I wake up, my shins never hurt, and they only start to once I start to jump playing volleyball. But it’s in both legs, and I’d say it isn’t really focused on one stop. does this mean its just an early stage of shin splits or it is something different
Does being heavy make it worse I’m 5’9 226 but I have a lot of muscle
I've had pain in both my medial shins for about 2 years and it has only gotten worse. Although the pain is very localized, it was in the same spot on both legs so I always assumed it was shin splints. But the pain has become so incredibly excruciating I can barely walk up/down steps anymore. No matter how much time I take off running it never heals and seems to be worse when I resume activity. I feel as though they must be stress fractures at this point? The localized nature and pain level are my main reasons.
Same here and I tend to think the same thing, but I think to myself about how it could be in both legs.
me too this is exactly what ive been going through for over a year and it never heals
IV been like this for 5 years 😭
Doctor, if i have shin pain on both legs it's just a shin splints or could be a possible stress fracture on both legs?
What the back of my shin is hurting mostly when I’m laying down
I’m having shin pain that is more spread along my shin on the posterior area of the shin but my pain is only during and after exercise so I’m a bit confused. The pain is also on both legs which makes me think it’s shin splints but again the only time I have pain is during and after exercise with increased pain as exercise continues
Same here. When i jump rope after 3 minutes, the pain starts on both shin same place. After I rest 10 minutes, the pain goes. Could you learn anything more about it?
For me it reallt only hurts when i either pressure the right spot, or start jumproping for about 2-3 minutes. It started when i jump ropes for 30 minutes, with 20+ minutes of active jumping. Now i have stayed away from jumping for about 2 weeks, and tried it out a couple days ago for only 3 minutes, and the pain already occured.
At first, i thought it might be a stress fracture, but I can easily walk for hours and will never get pain unless i jump or put pressure on it. So i am not certain, any ideas?
Have you learned anything of your injury? Im searching for my fix because of my inability to jumprope, after a minute my shins, calves, and ankles start hurting too much to continue
I did the exact same thing and now my shins are killing me what did u do and how did u treat yourself
i had a stress fracture for 4 weeks is hurts like hell: had a cast on: and i keep walking on it which the doctor allowed me to keep walking and mr oski got mad at me that i wasnt resting it. i was told to by my doctor told me to do.
Hi Dr,
I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in April this year (2021) and subsequently took 8 weeks completely off running, was cycling and swimming during recover and had an MRI at 4 weeks no running which showed no fracture but a stress reaction (so 4 more weeks off) and then got back to running in June, no pain and built up a base with mostly low HR runs and increasing mileage by no more than 10% a week, but the last month or so the shin pain is back in exactly the same place it was before! It feels the same as it did again and I have no idea how, or why!
I'm at a loose end and wondering whether it never healed in the first place! What would you recommend?
I am considering taking a few weeks off running again and seeing a physio, as I feel as though the doctors were a bit useless in my situation and didn't have much advice other than 'if it hurts, don't run' lol.
Same problem 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Same problem too
I was diagnosed with stress fracture too, last year, and I know what you were going through. However, I went to physio right away, he said, absolutely no loading on the leg for 3 months, meaning no cycling etc... I did listen to him and was able to fully recover, but it took much more time then 4 or 8 weeks, and the only activity I did was a bit of swimming to make sure my leg rests and heals 110%. After 3 months, I started loading my leg extremely slowly, first doing only small jump excercises for a few weeks to prime my legs, then after that I litterally used the couch to 5K app as per the advice of my physio, so 1 minute jog 5 min walk for 30 mins for a week and then ramp it up super slow as per the app like a total beginner who had never ran before. It was all totally worth it, In my opinion your leg did not heal enought before introducing load, patience is the key, my physio was begging me to listen, he knew very well that people make mistakes of running again too early after such injury.
Who diagnoses you with a stress fracture without a MRI?
Can you have both ?
I was training really hard for the last 2 months so I added a few inches to my vert, now I have shin splints and lost all the work I did. I was reaching 3.13m before now I reach around 3.04m, I keep training but I think I should stop because during training my shins hurt a lot.
I’ve been having pain in both shins just different places. It almost always only hurts when I run, after about a mile it usually feels a lot better but after I run hard it hurts until I walk around a little bit. On one shin I can feel a somewhat specific point that hurts the most but around it hurts as well. Any thoughts on what it is?
how are you now
Iam have shin splints pain, shall i countue run? Or shall i stop and go to another sport?
I was diagnosed with shin splints on both my legs. Recently one leg has started to feel worse. Can it be that the one leg turned into a stress fracture? I definitely have more pain when I move.
Thanks for watching, that can be, but your best bet is to find a good local PT and work with them
What if i have both how can I recognize that?
Should This be a shin splints? It only occurs when I play Basketball.
I am a big guy, I had a brutal leg day at the gym… when I came home I decided to watch rocky, I got so excited I grabbed my skipping rope and just went for it… in agony..
Don’t watch rocky on leg day..
I would appreciate a swift reply if possible 🙏 My lower shin pain is directly related to dorsi flexion and inversion (the more i dorsiflex my foot or invert it, the worse the pain become). Could it be something other than a shin splint or stress fracture?
I still don't know the difference and I can't afford to go to the doctor
how is it now?
Damn mines a stress fracture defo
I have shin pain all down my shin but there's like 3 spots that the pain is localized and more sharp in pain.... could this be stress fracture? I don't run I just walk. it doesnt hurt when I walk but I only feel it when i press on it
Same
Same here bruv
I had exactly the same condition with me, but with 2 spots. Its a stress fracture sadly😔. I didn't know at first, so i kept running through the pain but it got worse with time. Then i went to see a doctor. Now, i have been resting for about 15 weeks, the stress fracture has healed, but i have to make sure to go back to running slowly. Few advice would be to rest until you feel confident about the healing, sleep proper amount of time, get some sunlight daily, eat healthy. Also, as much as you delay the treatment, it will be harder to treat and you will have to rest more.
@@prashantyt7128 Thanks for telling me this, when you was through the healing process could you still walk? Please reply. Because I wanna go to the gym to lift weights without doing heavy squats that put pressure on shins etc.
@@bennybenny7382 yes, you can walk and do your normal daily chores except if it puts a lot of stress on the area you have pain. Also, you can do upper body in the gym but if the pain is too bad like hurts without even touching on that spot, I'll advice you to leave everything and even walk by limping putting as less stress as you can on the affected tibia. Once the pain lowers in about 2-3 weeks, go back to what i said before.
I feel a lump or swelling in my lower leg which feels tender when I touch it. Is this a normal symptom of shin splints?
Is it gone now?
Did it last long?😀
@@Chasworth yup. It lasted about 1 month
Hi Dr, I am suspecting I get stress fracture due to my pain is stick to one area and getting worse once I start to run again. The pain can feel when I walk. May I know is stress fracture is some thing like hairline crack on bone? Will it be get heal by itself?
@Ashley Witson, PT, DPT Hi Dr, thank you for your explanation!
What does a stress fracture feel like? I feel like I have a small bruise on my bone but doesn't hurt at all unless I touch it? Same place both legs
It's a stress fracture. I have the exact same thing
I will give my tips to be able to recover from stress fractures based on my experience. I suffered from a stress fracture about 1 year ago.. it turns out that the main cause is because my calves and ankles are not strong enough to support my weight when running, so I have to rest my feet for 3 full months, every day I compress my feet with ice 2 times a day. 20 minutes per leg. after 3 months i started retraining my legs from the base, my calves and ankles.. i practiced hurdle jumps, box jumps, tuck jumps, jump squats, calf raises and going up and down stairs about 5 times a week..i do it more or less 1 month..after that I started to increase my training by endurance running from 15 minutes non-stop to 1 hour non-stop, I did it for about 2 months and even I didn't feel any more stress fractures in my legs..after that I started go into my main workout which is 5 km running, while I also do calf and ankle exercises and endurance running on different days..and NOW I am free from stress fractures, I never feel that way now..maybe this experience of mine can help someone others who have the same problem as me..as I said before, you have a stress fracture maybe because your calf and ankle are not strong enough to support the weight.. so focus on strengthening it..
@@andimoehammadarisman9084 did you start the calves exercising after the 3 month rest or while you was resting?
@@taninha after rest
@@andimoehammadarisman9084 thnx bro, i also have the same story. I had stress fracture for over a year, i used to ignore it and keep running through the pain until it became unbearable. Now i have been resting for about 4 months, and thinking about doing some strengthening and then go back to running. I just hope, it doesn't come back. For how much time should i do the strengthening exercises before going back to my usual?
Is it possible to have both?
Can i repair my shin by Exercises plz tell 🙏
I will give my tips to be able to recover from stress fractures based on my experience. I suffered from a stress fracture about 1 year ago.. it turns out that the main cause is because my calves and ankles are not strong enough to support my weight when running, so I have to rest my feet for 3 full months, every day I compress my feet with ice 2 times a day. 20 minutes per leg. after 3 months i started retraining my legs from the base, my calves and ankles.. i practiced hurdle jumps, box jumps, tuck jumps, jump squats, calf raises and going up and down stairs about 5 times a week..i do it more or less 1 month..after that I started to increase my training by endurance running from 15 minutes non-stop to 1 hour non-stop, I did it for about 2 months and even I didn't feel any more stress fractures in my legs..after that I started go into my main workout which is 5 km running, while I also do calf and ankle exercises and endurance running on different days..and NOW I am free from stress fractures, I never feel that way now..maybe this experience of mine can help someone others who have the same problem as me..as I said before, you have a stress fracture maybe because your calf and ankle are not strong enough to support the weight.. so focus on strengthening it..
nice.. i think i have stress fracture. Im gna die
I like that when you show 5cm with your hands you have no idea how big it actually is and you show like 20 x'D. Definitely American.
Thanks for the advice.
yeh when i warm up and play it gets worse🤕
update? are you better now?
Yeh did some rehab and soleus and shin strengthening exercises and started using curvy insole shoes and now its way better thanks a lot👍
yes and i also had an x-ray and fortunately wasnt a fracture🙏👍
Okay same for me I don’t have focal pain and it is in both legs but it does increase with exercise so I worried but thinking now simple stretching and rehab will help
I would like you to advise me on what am experiencing,when I start stretching I feel like there is a point on my shin bone where it is disconnecting from each other,can it be stress fracture,but I am able to run slowly time to time that's when my pain reduces.
We can’t offer specific advice on here, but we can recommend getting in to see someone familiar with your situation like a local PT
@@Feldmanphysicaltherapy alright Sir
I think i have both lol
Im doomed
Haha joke on frame almost as funny as my joke ,,,,,,what do you call a greedy crustacean? Shellfish. 😝 hahahahaha
im starting to suspect my bed is causing my shin pain.I am tall enough so that my both feet hang off the edge (ankles too if im scooched low enough).
so my feet hang and point outward all night.Would that cause the muscle damage i'm dealing with? i can't walk more then 8 minutes before my shins start burning
U make it very clear to me now, am having stress fracture right now and i don't know how to treat it.
And am too impatient for it to fully recover on it own, everytime I tried to run, it will come back and I'll need to rest for a week or too to run again and it will come back again.
It's exactly how u explained stress fracture but how can I treat it??
It’s important that you go see a medical professional around you