What causes pain in the shin after running?
Disease description:
I usually enjoy running, but recently after running, my shin (the front part of the lower leg) has been hurting. The pain is more noticeable when pressing on the area, and I also feel pain while walking. I would like to know what might be causing this. Is it due to improper running posture, or is it caused by excessive exercise?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Chen Jian
Pain in the tibia (shinbone) after running is commonly known as "runner's shin pain" or "tibial stress syndrome." This condition frequently occurs among beginner runners, athletes who suddenly increase their training volume, or individuals who run in improperly fitting shoes. The main causes include:
1. Overuse: During running, the tibia bears the repetitive impact of body weight and ground reaction forces. If training volume increases suddenly, the muscles and bones may not adapt to the additional load, resulting in pain.
2. Muscle injury: Excessively intense movements or incorrect posture during running may cause strain or injury to the muscles around the tibia, leading to pain.
3. Calcium deficiency: Calcium is an essential component of bones. A lack of calcium may affect nerve conduction and muscle contraction, causing bone pain.
4. Tibial stress pain: This is a common injury among runners, typically caused by incorrect running posture or a sudden increase in running volume, which leads to excessive fatigue and tension in the calf muscles and inflammation of the periosteum, causing pain.
5. Ground hardness: Running on hard surfaces such as concrete causes greater impact on the tibia than running on softer surfaces like grass or tracks, as hard surfaces increase ground reaction forces.
6. Improper footwear: Running in shoes that lack support or cushioning, or shoes with heavily worn soles that fail to provide adequate protection, also increases the risk of tibial injury.
In daily training, gradually increasing exercise intensity, choosing appropriate running shoes, and performing sufficient warm-up and cool-down exercises can help alleviate the occurrence of pain.
