Shin splints” is the common term for medial tibial stress syndrome, the inflammation of the thin tissue (periosteum) that covers the shinbone (tibia). You feel the pain of shin splints in the lower leg muscles and connective tissues that attach to the tibia through the periosteum. On occasion there may be mild swelling or redness […]
Osgood-Schlatter disease (syndrome), a common cause of knee pain in as many as one in five children and young athletes, especially boys, 10 to 15 years of age, usually occurs after a period of quick growth coupled with intense physical or sporting activity. Children who participate in running and jumping activities experience a greater strain […]
Occurring in the front of the outer leg, shin splints result from inflammation to the posterior tibial tendon and related tissues . They commonly happen to runners or those who walk vigorously. Symptoms include pain in the front of the outer leg below the knee, ranging from dull discomfort to significant pain that increases with […]
Although it’s usually so small that it can’t be detected with conventional x-rays, a stress fracture is a very real crack in a bone. Most stress fractures occur in the tibia or fibula (lower-leg bones), the metatarsal or navicular bones of the foot, or the heel. The fracture develops over a period of days or […]
Many individuals experience pain from osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, the “wear and tear” version of arthritis. It can occur in any joint but is especially common in the knee. Your knee is a complex joint where the thigh bone (femur), a lower leg bone (tibia) and the kneecap (patella) come together. These bones […]
Physical therapy can help with most fractures, but it is especially important if you have suffered a fracture of the femur, which runs from the hip to the knee. This incredibly strong bone typically requires significant force or direct trauma to break. A femoral fracture often requires surgery to place the bones back into position. […]
Many people who have played sports that require running—like soccer, football, field hockey and basketball—may have felt a twinge in the back of the leg, followed by pain of varying degrees and a tightening of the muscle. These symptoms are indicative of a hamstring injury. Rest assured, a full recovery from these types of injuries […]
Your preteen soccer player comes home from practice complaining of knee pain, and there is a tender swelling at the top of his shin. Your 8-year-old starts limping and talking about a gradually increasing ache in his heel. In both cases, the culprit may be apophysitis, a relatively common condition where an apophysis—a type of […]
Understanding A Torn Medial Collateral Ligamen (MCL) While no one ever hopes for a knee injury, a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) is probably the easiest knee injury to treat. If you’re dealing with an MCL tear, you’re in luck— MCLs will often heal on their own—meaning no surgery and a full return to activities, […]
Characterized by tingling, numbness and pain deep in the buttock, piriformis syndrome describes what happens when the piriformis muscle, a muscle located in the buttocks near the top of the hip that stabilizes the hip joint and enables us to walk, shift our weight from one foot to another and maintain balance, compresses the sciatic […]