Do Compression Socks Help With Shin Splints?

Do Compression Socks Help With Shin Splints?

One of the proven remedies for shin splints is wearing compression socks. They provide significant relief from its pain.

Although shin splints often heal naturally, on their own. But this process takes time. To ease your pain in less time and prevent further trouble, you can wear compression socks. They boost blood circulation, support your veins, and reduce swelling. Many people turn to compression socks for shin splints.

Benefits of Compression Socks For Shin Splints

Along with proper warm-ups and stretches, wearing appropriate footwear can also help prevent or ease the symptoms of shin splints. How do compression socks help with shin splints?

Relieves Pain – Compression socks increase blood circulation of your legs to relieve your pain. The improved blood flow also removes the lactic acid, which is often the cause of soreness and pain in the legs. The compression socks also remove inflammation by compressing the injured point. Since compression socks target the injury site, reducing inflammation can also help relieve shin splint pain. As they also increase blood flow, the compression from compression socks assists your body in removing lactic acid, which stimulates muscle soreness, which in turn can help relieve muscular pain.

Helps in Fast Recovery – Compression socks for shin splints are specially designed to be tight around the ankles and loose around the calf. This design increases blood flow to the lower leg and back to the heart. Increased blood flow provides nutrients to the injured area and helps in fast recovery. Compression socks or stockings apply gentle pressure to your feet and ankles, with pressure easing as it moves up your calves. This pressure helps promote healthier blood circulation to your shins and move blood back up to your heart. Enhanced blood flow is vital for healing as it supplies the needed nutrients to the area and keeps muscles fueled.

Performance Boosting – Once your shin splints are healed, wearing compression socks not only helps to prevent them but can boost your performance as well. Thanks to increased blood flow, your movements can become more efficient and reduce foot and leg fatigue.

Reduces Fatigue  – Because the compression socks for shins provide pressure at the right spot, they reduce your fatigue. This, in turn, re-energizes you to enhance your performance in daily activities. A medical study also suggested that wearing compression socks is beneficial for post-workout muscle fatigue and soreness.

Prevents Swelling – The increased blood flow due to compression socks squeezes your leg muscles to stop the accumulation of the fluids in the tissue. This controls the swelling and inflammation, which are common symptoms of shin splints. By compressing the area where shin splints occur, compression socks can reduce the possibility of painful swelling and stiffness. This is especially great if you’ve recently suffered from shin splints and want to prevent swelling from happening.

Remember to consult with your doctor to find the best remedy that works for you.

What Are Shin Splints and Shin Splint Symptoms?

The term “shin splints” refers to pain along the shin bone (tibia) — the large bone in the front of your lower leg. Shin splints are common in runners, dancers, and military recruits.

Medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome, shin splints often occur in athletes who have recently intensified or changed their training routines. The increased activity overworks the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue.

Most cases of shin splints can be treated with rest, ice, and other self-care measures. Wearing proper footwear and modifying your exercise routine can help prevent shin splints from recurring.

If you have shin splints, you might notice tenderness, soreness, or pain along the inner side of your shinbone and mild swelling in your lower leg. At first, the pain might stop when you stop exercising. Eventually, however, the pain can be continuous and might progress to a stress reaction or stress fracture.

What Are The Causes of Shin Splints?

Shin splints occur when the shinbone and connected muscle tissues are overworked. This overuse pulls and burdens muscle tissues and bones and ultimately becomes the cause of pain and irritation. You can feel these sensations of sharp pain and discomfort in your lower leg when you walk or run. Shin splints are caused by repetitive stress on the shinbone and the connective tissues that attach your muscles to the bone.

You’re more at risk of shin splints if:

• You’re a runner, especially one beginning a running program
• You suddenly increase the duration, frequency, or intensity of exercise
• You run on uneven terrain, such as hills, or hard surfaces, such as concrete
• You’re in military training
• You have flat feet or high arches