shin splits

[Guest petiteanise]

I've heard of shin splits before but I have no idea what they are.

 

All I know is that I'd been complaining about pain in my left leg. One of my instructors said I had shin splits but I really didn't pay attention to him (how stupid of me) and it got worse over the next few weeks and I went to go see my doctor who took some xrays and said she was going to give me Corticosteroid injection (I think I spelled that wrong). She didn't say I had shin splits, she said I had tendonitis that had not been treated properly (I didn't ice it down, take it easy when it was hurting, or take anti-inflammatory drugs...now they tell me) I got a long lecture about how if your really hurting you shouldn't push yourself so hard. The short and short of it is that because I didn't take care of it properly I've developed these tiny fractures and shes worried I might develop calcium deposits (I thought those were only found in cases of breast cancer) and these shots shes giving me are suppose to be painful....my question is what does all this mean and how long will I be out of class?and its not that serious is it? has anyone gone through any of this before? Are the shots really necessary?

 

Thanks.

[Mel Johnson]

Not being one to second-guess physicians, I'd say that your doctor determined that you have shinsplints that are very bad (they're inflammation of not only the tendons, but the muscle sheath of the muscle at the front of the tibia, that is, your shin). The inflammation, if left for too long, can cause a breakdown of the bones in the shin and ankle (stress fractures) and the body will try to cover these over with new bone, called callus. Corticosteroids (which you spelled perfectly) are often given to reduce inflammation and restore flexibility to an area where this sort of inflammation is going on. As to the rest of your questions, they are most easily and correctly answered by your doctor.

[Guest petiteanise]

just an update. my Corticosteroids shots HURT! If felt like they injected acid into my leg or dipped in hot oil. But after I got over the pain and was finally allowed to dance again (I had to sit and just watch the class...do you realize how horrible that is? Its torture, pure torture) I found that the shots that I thought I didn't need really helped me! I have to wear an ankle brace but thats nothing. I used to have trouble with a really bad case of "fish" foot (you know your foots goes all floppy on pointe all of a sudden) and that problem seems to have disappeared. One my instructors said that my shin splits must have been the cause of that leg being weak. But I have another problem.....maybe this one should be another post seperately.

[Mel Johnson]

Yes, corticosteroids are a drastic measure, but sometimes the only reasonable alternative. Hurt as they do, when correctly prescribed, they can work near wonders. It would appear that your doctor correctly prescribed for you, and that indeed, the fish-feet were a symptom of the ailment.