CLINIC
Running is good for the bones, but don’t overload them. Bone stress injuries are usually low grade but need to be managed to prevent worse problems down the line
YOUR EXPERT
Sports Injury Fix member Mark Taylor is the founder of Bespoked Physiotherapy in Clitheroe, Lancashire (sportsinjuryfix.com/ business/profile/bespoked-physiotherapy). He has worked as a physio in several sports from recreational to international level and has particular interests in injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Shin splints is a bone stress injury (BSI) that most runners are aware of and many have been diagnosed with. However, shin splints or, more accurately, medial tibial stress syndrome, is just one injury that falls on the spectrum of BSI.
Bone is a living structure; it’s put under strain when we run and our bodies regenerate and repair it while we rest. We can influence this process both positively and negatively, of course, but ultimately there’s an increased risk of injury if the demands placed on the body exceed its ability to cope.