Why does my shin feel bumpy

Although the pain is in the shin, they are not just an injury to the shin. The medical term for shin splints is medial tibial stress syndrome. There are stresses being placed on the shin bone, which is the tibia. If you have shin splints and you run your finger along the tibia, you will feel lots of bumps. These are there for a reason. You could have flat feet or high arches that are affecting the shin, you could have weak hips which affects the shins.

You could have muscle imbalances that cause changes to your running form. There are a lot of reasons that could have developed shin splints and sometimes the answer is two or three different reasons and you have to attack the biggest offender first.

If you have shin splints, you should seek the care of a physical therapist that specializes in runners. You need to have the cause of the shin splints diagnosed. While it is very easy to diagnose shin splints from the comfort of your own home, finding the cause of the issue takes hands-on testing to determine. But there are some things that can be done right away, to get the inflammation calmed down and remove the shin splints. First, in the video below are three stretches you can do to help decrease the pain from shin splints.

You will notice that there is one stretch for the front of the foot, one for the back of the leg and one for the hips. The shinbone is the larger of the two bones. It is called the tibia. The small, thin bone that runs alongside the tibia from the knee to the ankle is the fibula. The tibia and fibula provide a connecting point for several muscles that move the foot. The main muscle that bends the foot upward connects on the front anterior of the tibia.

It is called the anterior tibialis. The posterior tibialis , which pulls the foot down and in, attaches along the back posterior and inside edge of the tibia. Together, the anterior and posterior tibialis muscles are called the tibialis muscles. The tibialis muscles have tiny fibers that fasten the muscle to the bony surface of the tibia. This bony covering, or membrane, is called the periosteum peri means around, and osteum means bone. Why do I have shin splints?

Shin splints usually result from overuse. Repeated movements of the foot can cause damage where the tibialis muscles attach to the tibia. Soon the edge of the muscles may begin to pull away from the bone. The injured muscle and the bone covering the periosteum become inflamed. Overuse commonly happens after changes in training. Increasing running speed and distance and running on hard or angled surfaces can contribute to overuse. Overuse can also occur from running in flimsy footwear or in shoes with soles that are worn out.

Anterior shin splints tend to affect people who take up a new activity, such as jogging, sprinting, or playing sports that require quick starts and stops. The unfamiliar forces place a heavy strain on the anterior tibialis muscle, causing it to become irritated and inflamed.

This commonly happens when people who aren't regular runners decide to go on a long jog. The anterior tibialis muscle must work hard to control the landing of the forefoot with each stride. Running downhill puts even more demands on this muscle in order to keep the forefoot from slapping down.

People who run on the balls of their feet or who run in shoes with poor shock absorption also tend to get anterior shin splints. Posterior shin splints are generally caused by imbalances in the leg and foot. Muscle imbalances from tight calf muscles can cause this condition. Imbalances in foot alignment, such as having flat arches called pronation , can also cause posterior shin splints.

As the foot flattens out with each step, the posterior tibialis muscle gets stretched, causing it to repeatedly tug on its attachment to the tibia. The posterior tibialis muscle attachment eventually becomes damaged, leading to pain and inflammation along the inside edge of the lower leg. A stress fracture in the tibia is a serious problem that at first may have the same symptoms as shin splints. A stress fracture is a crack in a weakened area of bone.

Continual stresses from running on hard surfaces or from heavy strain in the tibialis muscles can weaken and eventually fracture the tibia. People with shin pain who try to work through it sometimes end up developing a stress fracture in the tibia.

A concerning complication of shin splints is compartment syndrome. Compartment syndrome is a condition where pressure from muscle damage and swelling builds up inside a section, or compartment, within the body.

There are four compartments in the lower limb. As the pressure builds in the compartment, the small blood vessels called capillaries that supply blood to the muscles in the compartment are squeezed shut. This happens when the pressure in the compartment is higher than the blood pressure that keeps the small blood vessels open.

When the muscle loses its blood supply it begins to ache, like a muscle cramp. If the pressure continues to rise, it can squeeze the larger blood vessels and nerves as well. Patients may feel coldness, numbness, and swelling in the lower leg and foot. If pressure builds up and is not treated, it can cause serious tissue damage in the leg and foot. Dull, aching pain is felt where the involved tibialis muscle attaches to the tibia.

Redness and swelling can also occur in this area. Tenderness is felt where the muscle attaches to the bone. Anterior shin splints are usually felt on the front of the tibia, especially when using the anterior tibialis muscle to bend your foot upward. Posterior shin splints produce symptoms along the inside edge of the lower leg. Small bumps may also be felt along the edge of the tibia in this area. They are a common occurrence in people who indulge in activities that involve high impact stresses on the feet and legs.

Shin splints affect a range of people, including military personnel, dancers, and runners; they often occur when training routines are changed, and the bones, tendons, and muscle tissues are overworked. Shin splints account for an estimated Aerobic dancers are among the worst affected and have shin splint rates of up to 22 percent.

Some athletes are tempted to run through the pain, but, in the case of shin splints, this will make the issue worse and potentially damage underlying tissues. If possible, a 2-week rest from the activity that caused the injury is recommended. Initially, the pain will stop when exercise stops, but if the condition worsens, the pain can become constant.

It is important to have the pain checked by a doctor because other conditions have similar symptoms see section on diagnosis. The exact mechanisms behind shin splints are not fully understood but are thought to involve a variety of different issues. The causes, however, are relatively clear; shin splints are most commonly associated with repetitive activities that cause stress on the shinbone and the connective tissue that attaches the muscle to the bone.

It is thought that these stresses involve inflammation of the connective tissue that coats the tibia called the periosteum ; this is called periostitis. Many experts believe that a range of tibial injuries might account for shin splints; some of these could include:. Muscle dysfunction: some muscles may also be involved in shin splints, including:. Foot and ankle overpronation is also thought to be a cause of shin splints.

This change in position places more of the arch of the foot in constant contact with the ground. More weight is placed on the inside of the foot medial than the outside edge of the foot lateral. This abnormal movement causes muscles to fatigue quicker and may place additional stress on the shinbone. In a study investigating shin splints in the British infantry , the authors found:.

As mentioned, anyone who takes part in activities that involve high impact on the legs can suffer from shin splints.