How to tape shin splints kt tape

When you overuse the muscles in your shins, they can become inflamed. Inflammation, more often than not, causes pain. So, if anywhere between your knees and ankles become painful, you could have shin splints, or as medical professionals like to call them, medial tibial stress syndrome.

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Why Trust Us? Shin splints , officially diagnosed as medial tibial stress syndrome, plague many runners. According to a research review published in Cureus , runners make up the majority of people who suffer from shin splints and shin splits account for up to 16 percent of all running-related injuries. While gradually increasing your training volume , wearing the right shoes, and pay attention to pronation may all help to lower your risk for the condition, KT tape may also help to control aches associated with shin splints.

How to tape shin splints kt tape

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome, occur when the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue surrounding the shinbones become inflamed. You may experience discomfort and soreness where the muscles connect to the bone along the front or inner edge of your shinbone, or tibia. The pain may be dull, sharp, or throbbing. This often happens due to repetitive activities, overuse, and lack of variation in your fitness routine. People with flat feet and stiff arches are also prone to shin splints. Returning to exercise after a break or increasing the intensity or frequency of your workouts can also play a part. Kinesiology therapeutic KT tape may help prevent and treat shin splints. KT tape may also help stabilize the muscle around the shin and improve blood flow. Using tape provides compression, which may help to boost circulation and reduce pain. You can use KT tape in conjunction with other healing modalities.

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We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Shin splints , officially diagnosed as medial tibial stress syndrome, plague many runners. While gradually increasing your training volume, wearing the right running shoes and paying attention to pronation may all help to lower your risk for the condition, KT tape may also help to control aches associated with shin splints. In fact, a study published in in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, found that when 40 participants with symptoms of shin splints wore KT tape aka, kinesio tape for just a week, they experienced less pain and showed improvement in functional activity compared to those who used shoe insoles. Because KT tape stretches, it allows you to move as you typically do, so you can still log the miles in your training plan.

Even with proper warm-up and pacing while running, shin splints and stress fractures can still occur. Often shin splints occur from poor running form or wearing the wrong running shoes see our list of good running shoes for shin splints. With taping, however, you can speed up the process significantly. When the body is injured, it sends lymphatic fluid to that area causing your shins to swell up and become inflamed. This can lead you sore or painful shins, which is not fun. But taping, especially using tape with elastic properties like KT tape or Rock tape , reduces the soreness of shin splints by lifting the skin and allowing greater mobility of lymphatic fluid to transport white blood cells throughout the body, which heals the area quicker. Taping is a cheap, quick thing you can do to make your shin splints improve rapidly and you will return to running in no time. There are multiple ways to tape a shin splint and multiple tapes to use. While you may have your own preferences as for what tape to use, this article will deal with KT tape. Be sure to shave or trim any hair on your leg and make sure the skin is clean and dry before starting.

How to tape shin splints kt tape

The shin is the common name for the front of the lower leg bone tibia and its associated muscles and tendons. While the tibialis posterior serves to point the toes and foot downwards plantarflexion , muscles on the front of the leg primarily the anterior tibialis serve to point the toes and foot upwards dorsiflexion. Anterior shin splints exist on the front of the lower leg and involve the tibialas anterior, while posterior shin splints present pain along the inside edge of the lower leg in the tibialis posterior tendon. As we walk or run, the tibialis anterior slows and steadies the motion of the foot as it hits the ground and lifts the foot during the swing phase of gait to prevent the toes from dragging the ground and prepare the foot for heel strike. Problems in this cycle often result in anterior shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome MTSS , and are the most common cause of anterior shin pain. The causes of shin splints can be many and multifaceted. Overuse in activities like running, jogging, or cycling can result in various types of inflammation. New activities, changing running surfaces or frequent activity on hard surfaces, wearing poorly fit or worn shoes, a drastic increase in activity, or running on uneven surfaces can also make an individual more susceptible to the development of shin splints. Along with overactive calf muscles, over-striding is often a component of the biomechanical problem underlying the root cause. As explained above, the tibialis anterior is very important during gait.

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She spends her free time boxing, traveling, and watching any movie or show with a strong female lead. Head Injury. Elastic Flexible Fabric plasters for flexible, enduring protection Protect against infection with Elastoplast Bacteria Shield plasters. Kiera Carter has a decade's worth of experience covering fitness, health, and lifestyle topics for national magazines and websites. For maximum effectiveness, you must use proper taping techniques. This brings your tissues inwards, towards the tibia. Along with a thorough warm-up and cool-down routine, plenty of rest and a balanced diet, taping is one of the best ways to prevent shin splints. Read this next. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. A stress fracture is a tiny crack in a bone, also called a hairline fracture. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Once you return to activity, start slowly and be aware of any recurring symptoms should they arise. In fact, a study published in in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, found that when 40 participants with symptoms of shin splints wore KT tape aka, kinesio tape for just a week, they experienced less pain and showed improvement in functional activity compared to those who used shoe insoles. To help the tape adhere to your skin, shave the affected area. So, if anywhere between your knees and ankles become painful, you could have shin splints, or as medical professionals like to call them, medial tibial stress syndrome.

Shin splints are one of the most feared sports injuries because of their debilitating pain and slow healing.

Follow these five simple steps to relieve and prevent shin splints:. Research and Development Elastic Flexible Fabric plasters for flexible, enduring protection Protect against infection with Elastoplast Bacteria Shield plasters. When taping, ensure the tape is rigid without being too tight or restrictive. How to treat patellar tendinopathy. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Taping for Shin Splints 3 min. Step 4 Attach the end of the tape to the outside of the middle of your lower leg. They can also help you select the correct shoes. They can not only apply the tape properly, but also help you figure out the root cause of the problem. When to talk with a pro. The taping method was more effective than standard orthotics. Pro tip: To keep the tape from coming off, do not stretch the tape at adhesion points.