SHIN SPLINTS IN CROSS COUNTRY The reality of shin splints for cross country runners at Tino
RAJASI LADDHA writer
A
ll runners have once been afflicted by shin splints which is inarguably one of the most common, yet least mentioned, injuries in runners. According to the Mayo Clinic, shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, is an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue
around your tibia. Cross country runners often find themselves afflicted by this injury at least once in their career due to the intense training routines these athletes undergo, yet still, persevere through the intense pain to maintain peak condition. “Shin
splints inflammation around the area of the [shin] bone and it would hurt if you pressed it [...] If it gets really bad, it hurts when walking and aches when sitting,” recounts a current Varsity Cross Country athlete at CHS, “I’m pretty sure most of the cross country people [in the team] have had shin splints at one point [...] It can happen from running too much, running too suddenly, or running on different surfaces. [For example], if you’re used to running on concrete and you suddenly run on grass, it might cause shin splints.” Cross country is a taxing sport as it often entails running races across open-air trails over natural terrain such as dirt or grass for 2.5 to 7.5 mile courses. To run these arduous races, athletes are expected to be in peak condition from the start of the season in order to keep up with the harsh routines during practices. “[Shin splints] is just really rampant in Cross Country,” notes senior Trevor Lei, a varsity Cross Country athlete. “We ramp [up] the mileage and intensity pretty quick
