Anterior shin splints in more detail

Most textbooks only describe the posterior shin splints but podiatric practitioners dealing with lower limb musculo skeletal disorders regularly come across patients with similar symptoms but affecting the outside part of the lower leg. These are known as anterior shin splints and are almost as common as the posterior shin splints.

These are caused by inflammation of the insertion of the  second decelerator of the foot, namely tibialis anterior. Like posterior shin splints pain is felt on palpation (touching) and when walking/running but crucially pain is felt on the other side of the shin bone (on the outer part of the leg). Again pain will not be felt when touching the bone itself.

 

Tibialis anterior anatomy and function

 

Tibialis anterior inserts at on the outside (lateral) border of the shin bone (tibia). It then follows the shaft of the tibia to pass over the front of the ankle joint. It is held in place at the ankle by a piece of tissue called the extensor retinaculum. This retinaculum provides a lever point so the tibialis anterior can work effectively. Finally tibialis anterior inserts into the foot at the at the medial cuneiform (number 3 on the picture)and the base of the 1st metatarsal (number 4). Tibialis anterior is used by the body to aid in pulling the foot up (dorsiflexion) during swing phase of gait. This is when the foot is off the ground and is swinging through to be placed in front of the running for next heel strike. The muscle also serves to invert the foot (turn the foot inwards) so as to ensure positive heel strike on the outside edge of the heel. Finally tibialis anterior also works to slow the foot down from heel strike to mid stance phase of gait to provide a shock absorbing mechanism. More detail of these phases of gait is in our biomechanics section.

 

Anterior shin splints causes

However specifically the main causes of anterior shin splints are due to overuse of the tibialis anterior muscle which in itself causes inflammation and swelling leading to incapacity.

Overuse comes from;

Training too hard.

Increasing training too quickly.

Poor biomechanics.

Tight muscles groups at the back of the leg.

Greater detail on the causes of shin splints can be found here. Read more->

 

Anterior shin splints symptoms

Pain is generally felt along the front and outside of the tibia along the muscle/ tendon itself. It gets gradually worse on exercise. Read more->

 

Anterior shin splints treatment

Treatment for shin splints whether anterior or posterior is the same. Read more->