Running on trails is a great way to get in your exercise and enjoy beautiful Colorado scenery all at once. Places like Parker have fabulous trail systems, including the Sulphur Gulch, Tallman Gulch, and Pinery Loop trails. All of these paths are great places to take a jog and turn your attention to the city’s scenery. Just remember to direct some of that attention to your body so you don’t neglect signs of potential problems, like shin pain. Hitting the trails in Parker may be a great run, but “pushing through” and ignoring pain could give you shin splints.
It is a painful problem that many runners are familiar with. This common overuse injury creates an uncomfortable burning in the shins whenever you’re active and using those muscles. The soft tissues along the front of the lower leg become inflamed from overwork. The painful problem is persistent and can ruin your run. It tends to get worse over time unless you treat it, too.
Worse, the overuse that causes shin pain can lead to additional problems higher up your legs, sometimes creating knee pain. Improper biomechanics can twist and rotate the shin bones, stressing the soft tissues from ankle to knee. This also can aggravate the protective padding within the knee joint. Over time, the strain of this twisting with the pounding from running damages the cartilage in your knees.
So between the increasing discomfort in your lower limbs and the risk of damage to your knee joints, you really shouldn’t neglect shin splints. You might be running now, but your body may not be able to keep it up in the long run. Instead, take the time off you need to rest, recover, and come back stronger and without pain. Our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. can help you establish the right treatment and rehabilitation plan. Just call (303) 805-5156 to make an appointment at our Parker or Castle Pines, CO, offices.