As the northern cities clear the last snowfall, spring is on everyone's mind. Warm weather and outdoor activities are around the corner. Though we are all eager to play catch or hit the running trails, we need to make sure we do not get injured in the process. Outdoor sports often mean uneven terrain. This can lead to a disaster if you do not take time to warm up and train for the demands of outdoor sports. One of the most common complaints of spring athletes is shin splints. We have all had them and they are just strait up uncomfortable! Your leg muscles are over working and you may develop small tears or inflammation in the muscles or tendons. The injury is minor and can be relieved by rest and icing but the injury can be very painful and will interrupt your training schedule. Through the pain is caused by inflammation of the muscles and tendons in your lower leg, it may actually be the result of a foot problem! Poor shock absorption can lead to increased stress on the muscles of your lower leg. Imagine when you are jumping and running how much force is being applied to your leg. We wear shoes to help absorb this shock and decrease the stress on our feet and legs. After time, your shoes will eventually lose its shock absorption quality. So if you are planning on wearing your 2 year old sneakers to the track today, you may need to stop at the local shoe store first. Certain foot types are also poor shock absorbers. Our feet and legs are naturally constructed to absorb the stresses of walking, running and jumping, but not everyone's foot is created equal. A high arched foot is a poor shock absorber and shoes with additional support should be worn if you have this foot type. You can also get the needed support by wearing custom made orthotics from your local podiatric physician.

Flat feet can also lead to painful shin splints. Flat feet are often caused by excessive pronation. This means that your foot and ankle roll inward at a greater degree than normal. Since your foot and leg function as a unit, when your foot over-pronates your leg will twist. This twisting puts stress on your leg muscles that will lead to inflammation and shin splits when exercising.

Don't let these common foot problems and painful shin splints keep you off the field or track this season. Podiatric physicians are highly trained to accommodate your footgear and to provide custom support devices or orthotics to help manage your foot type. If you commonly have shin splints, your podiatric physician may also recommend physical therapy to strengthen your leg muscles and to prevent further injury. If you are currently suffering from shin splints remember to rest and ice your leg to allow your muscles and tendons to repair and recoup from the injury.