What are Shin Splints?

Shin splints is the term commonly used to describe a more or less extreme pain and tenderness in an area of the shin from just above the ankle and extending approximately up to the middle of the shin bone.

The actual medical term for this condition is periostitis.  It is an irritation (inflammation) of the tibia, which is the casing (sheath) around the bone tissue.

What causes Shin Splints?

Shin splints are often seen in athletes e.g. runners or team sports that require lots of running and repetitive motion such as basketball, soccer or cycling to name a few.

Shin splints are basically caused by abusing and overusing the calf muscles that are attached to the shin bones and not allowing sufficient time for the strained calf muscle tissue to recover and heal.

This results in the calf muscles becoming inflamed from the constant flexion, which in turn can cause intense muscle pain.

Other common reasons for shin splints can be sudden changes in an individual’s level of exercise such as a new sports activity, more frequent, faster and longer walking or running.

Flat feet are also known to cause shin splints and increased stress on the lower part of the legs.

How can Compression Stockings help with Shin Splints?

Compression stockings for shin splints are available as a compression sock or footless compression sleeve to provide extra support for the aching and throbbing calf muscles.

These specially designed compression garments often feature wide ribbing on the front for targeted support of the shin and a tighter ribbing weave on the backside to support the calf muscles (this can be especially beneficial for hard and extensive runs).

Cutting-edge models of compression socks or sleeves (e.g. CEP, Eurosocks, and Zensah) also incorporate silver ions in their fabrics which are said to help regulate body temperature and fight bacteria.

Calf and Shin supporting compression socks or compression sleeves are frequently worn by athletes to enhance their endurance, to shorten recovery time and provide extra protection for their shin and muscles.

The built-in graduated compression in these “Power Socks” helps to optimize blood circulation in the legs, which in turn delivers more oxygen to the muscles allowing the athlete to push their performance to new heights.

Graduated compression sleeves or socks are ideal for endurance sport enthusiasts and athletes alike who suffer from shin splints. Other commonly applied remedies that can be helpful with shin splints are rest, ice packs and wearing the proper shoes.

Do Compression Sleeves work for Shin Splints?

Find out by reading some of the product review comments below from Amazon.com customers who have bought and tried them:

• They are so comfortable and they work like a charm. I have struggled with shin splints ever since getting back into running and these have made all the difference – by Angela
• Perfect for those suffering from shin splints! Also great for work. I am a nurse on my feet all day. They keep my legs feeling fresh. I wear them all the time. I run long distances and find these give me the extra support I need for those hard miles – by Jenn
• I can’t speak for anyone else, but I was having problems with my calf muscles straining almost every time I ran on the treadmill. It was to the point where I stopped running altogether. I read about these calf sleeves and saw some good reviews from die-hard runners and thought I’d give them a try. It’s been 2-3 weeks now and (knock on wood) I’m back running 3-4 times a week with no calf strains – by Niko
• I have been a long time sufferer of shin splints and was very skeptical that these would actually help. I actively run and play basketball several times per week, and if I did this more than two days in a row, the pain would become so unbearable to the point where I would have to stop exercise and rest days between sessions to allow the pain and swelling to subside. After reading reviews of several products I finally gave in and decided to try these out of pure desperation in hopes they would help subdue the pain even in the slightest bit. I was pleasantly surprised that they surpassed my expectations and noticed almost no more pain during running, increased mobility, and dramatically improved recovery time. They really don’t feel too tight like other compression sleeves and are actually quite comfortable. I’ll never go without these again, highly recommended if you too suffer from anterior shin splints – by Trevor
• I bought these to help with shin splints when I started running again. I broke my lower leg when I was younger and still have a rather large bone callous on my left shin that gives me all kinds of nonsense when running on pavement or on a treadmill. I’ve had them for 6 months or so. With almost daily use and weekly washing, I’ve noticed really no wear and tear on them, so they’re sturdy. I do line dry them though to help keep them from shrinking. As it is, I can tell they are starting to lose some compression and are a little shorter than they were when I first got them. Not too much though and am going to order another pair to rotate with. They are pretty thick, help tremendously with calf muscle recovery and provide excellent support for people who need lower leg compression regardless of activity type. I’ve compared them to other compression sleeves and they seem to be a more “workman-like” sleeve. They feel more like a compression sleeve and less like a spandex accessory – by Emily
• I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of compression sleeves actually working. However, I wore these on a 30-mile run this weekend and my legs felt much better than they usually do. Either there’s something to this compression, or it was a placebo effect. Either way, I’m going to order another set so that I can wear them for the 24 hour period after the workout as suggested by other runners – by Sean
• These compression sleeves are awesome!!! I’ve been power walking like a madwoman and still I don’t have any type of cramps in my calves, worth the money spent for the recovery felt – by Carol