Sound Waves May Heal Shin Splints

Irritation of the affected area could be a successful treatment for shin splints, a common running injury also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), according to the April 21 press release. Phil Newman, an assistant professor at the University of Canberra, has been using sound waves to stimulate the body’s natural repair response. Newman says that the application of sound waves tricks the body into repairing the injury.

“This therapy has been successfully used for the treatment of tendon injuries in the heel, foot and shoulder for many years with an extremely low rate of side effects, ” he said. Newman has been using the therapy on a trial group of runners with MTSS and he has found the results to be encouraging. “Our research suggests it will be effective in treating the shin splints, ” he said.

Newman noted that shin splints have been the scourge of runners for a long time and there is not yet an effective, established treatment for this condition which, he says, affects one in three runners.

“Once you get MTSS, it’s hard to get rid of it and in many cases, the pain not only disrupts training but it can even affect everyday activities. If we can finally treat this very common injury, we can get more people out enjoying the health benefits of running, ” he said.