Case Studies

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

Practitioner: Rebecca Gifford, Podiatrist 

Practice: PodiatryMed, Christchurch, New Zealand

Patient: Netball player in her 20's

Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), often referred to as "shin splints" is a frequent overuse lower extremity injury, characterised usually by exercise induced pain along the posteromedial aspect of the distal two thirds of the tibia. "Shin splints" is a general term to describe a number of different potential pathologies. There are several predisposing factors for MTSS; having a poor technique, improper warmup routine, increasing training schedules before being ready to do, or high impact sports contribute as does training on hard surfaces or uneven terrain. A previous leg injury may increase risk of issues. Biomechanical factors can contribute in addition to footwear suitability and design for the activity being undertaken.