Shin Splints, or what the medical community calls, “Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome”, is irritation that develops on either the front side or the inside (medial side) of the lower leg. Shin Splints most commonly develop in runners and other athletes as an overuse injury. This can be due to somebody suddenly increasing their activity level beyond what their body is used to, or, in my experience, they often develop due to some kind of gait abnormality that I am seeing–especially in runners.
Radial Shockwave therapy can be very effective in reducing the pain and inflammation that can come with shin splints, as well as certain orthotics depending on the reason that is causing the individuals pain in the first place.
For runners that come in with shin splints, I will watch them run and show them exactly what I am seeing and if I think the way they are moving has a correlation with the pain they are experiencing. If it does, I will usually recommend gait retraining so I can help you work your way out of the movement pattern that is causing the pain, and instigate real, long-lasting changes so you can continue to do what you love for years to come without pain.