Treating shinsplints can be very confusing for a lot of people.
Not only are there multiple factors, it could be any combination of these factors that is causing YOUR shinsplints.
The best thing to do in the beginning is to break down the problem to its simplest form.
Make sure you go over the basics and apply them so you can tick the common causes of your list as you progress.
In other words, cover the basics well, and you will go a long way towards fixing the problem.
If you decide to skim over the basics, it may be a longer and more frustrating recovery.
So what are the basic causes of shin splints? One of the main causes is pronation of the foot as it strikes the ground.
Pronation is what most people see as "rolling in" when the foot strikes.
Some people "roll" more than others and it is obvious when you watch them run.
Over pronation can be a main cause of tension, which is diagnosed as shin splints.
Muscles and tendons pull away at the tibial lining, which causes inflammation.
If you are pronating a long way in relation to the upper leg staying normal as you run, the stress will have to show up somewhere.
Exactly where depends on how much you pronate, your surrounding muscle strength and your foot type etc.
But it will have to manifest somewhere along your lower leg.
A trained therapist can find where this tension has built up and use various techniques to treat it.
Sports Massage techniques can be very helpful after the early or acute stages of the injury.
Massage techniques become an important part of this treatment I describe in the shin splint cure webpage and report.
Being aware of pronation and tension build up from the early stages is much better.
Arch supports are the most common way to minimise the pronation as you run.
Most serious runners will know this, yet try one kind of arch support or new shoe and that's it.
You will need to keep trying different shoes and levels of support until you can really feel the soreness dissipate.
Most people will not be lucky enough to strike the right arch support first attempt! Yet, athletes hope for this, and become disheartened when it doesn't work first time.
Keep trying different arch supports and shoes until you get the right fit for you.
Just a fractional change, can make all the difference to the soreness you feel after exercise.
So over pronation can be a common factor in manifesting shin splints.
You must insure you get the right level of pronation first, regardless of how many attempts of arches and supportive foot ware you try.
Simple in theory, yet how many athletes take the time to get this right? Your are un-likely to fix the problem your first attempt, but you're much better off to stick with it and tick this of you list of causing factors of your shinsplints.
For some people, simply eliminating pronation will eliminate shinsplints.