Pain in upper tibia

[spacekadet]

Hi all!

I've been experiencing a weird pain in my shin for the last four days. It runs along my tibia from right below my knee and about 2-3 inches down the bone (see image below):



The pain feels like a dull ache, like a bad bruise (there is tenderness when I touch it); however, there is no bruising or swelling. I would say that it's most tender at the base of the top "bulb" of the tibia (I'm not sure of the technical term, but I think it's the medial condyle, where it meets the rest of the bone).

I walk daily (7-10km) and swim every other day and the only thing that really aggravates it is swimming freestyle. So I've stopped that but kept up with the walking and swimming breast stroke. Still, no relief. If anything, it's a little worse. I wonder if I need to stop all of my lower body activity until it's gone? Take ibuprofen? Ice?

I should add that the daily walking is new as of 4 weeks ago... prior to that I was walking 3-4 days per week. Also, there is a small bruise towards the top of my tibia (medial condyle) but I suspect that's unrelated and just from me being clumsy!

Any ideas? I've read low-impact stuff like swimming is good for an injury, but in this case it seems to be doing me more harm than good! What kind of exercise can I do while this heals?

Thanks for the help!

Monica

[alophysio]

Hi monica,

the area you refer to is the attachment site for your hamstrings and some other muscles...

...and to answer anyone who might ask, on a dissection project last year, we saw the tendon and thickened fascia extend nearly 10cm down the tiba in a broad sheet, not like a finger tendon on a point insertion.

I too have had this pain when running too much.

Often it is a result of poor biomechanics. The majority of my patients have poor dynamic hip stability. The usual suspects tend to be Glut Med and other deep hip rotators. but also Iliacus and glut Max and min are also important in their roles.

My advice to you would be to seek out someone who can assess your dynamic hip stability (that is, what is does when you move it) and work on stabilising your hips.

The other areas that need checking will be your pelvis, thorax and feet.

Good luck!

[oddscwodd]

Hi

I am experiencing exactly the same thing. I injured my patellar tendon six months ago and was told swimming would be fine. Went to the pool and had to stop for the exact same reasons as you. The patellar tendonitis got worse so stopped doing everything while it healed.

Now the tendon is healing and I have started reabililitation over the last six weeks. the quadriceps exercises such as leg extentions are fine but eccentric work on that leg such as walking down stairs or swimming is agony.

My physio told me to grit my teeth and work trough it.

I would like to know if this is good advice.

[Canuck Physio]

If it causes pain, Stop that particular movement or pushing past that range. What you should do is stop activity, and concentrate on pain free exercise to rebuild strength and improve healing until progressing back to normal activity. If you stop now you will be better off in the long run, it is much easier to recondition from a short lay off, than to rehab from chronic injury