Good news for treadmill runners struggling with persistent shin splints: Recent research suggests that incorporating outdoor gait training alongside home exercises can be beneficial.
Good news for treadmill runners experiencing stubborn and painful shin splints: Trying outdoor gait training may help, suggests new research.
A recent study showed that adding four weeks of outdoor gait training to the home workout routines commonly recommended for shin splints resulted in improved running biomechanics, even when running on a treadmill. These improvements included reducing the time the feet spent in contact with the ground or treadmill, a factor linked to shin splints.
Based on these findings, experts recommend incorporating outdoor gait training into rehabilitation programs for individuals struggling with chronic shin splints, as observed by UVA Health sports medicine expert David J. Hryvniak, DO.
“This discovery is significant for clinicians, as it provides us with a valuable tool to aid these runners,” commented Hryvniak, a running medicine specialist at UVA Health’s Runner’s Clinic. “Implementing these gait-training cues in rehabilitation programs can help patients enhance their running mechanics, potentially reducing the risk of common running injuries.”
Relieving Shin Splints
Affecting around 40% of runners, shin splints typically start as leg tenderness that diminishes post-exercise. However, for regular runners, this discomfort can escalate and become persistent, potentially leading to stress fractures in severe cases.
Past research has shown that short outdoor gait training sessions can significantly alleviate shin splint pain in outdoor runners. The effectiveness of such training on the flat surface of a treadmill was unclear, prompting researchers from various institutions to conduct a randomized trial.
The study involved 17 treadmill runners aged 18 to 45 who ran at least three times a week and had experienced lower leg pain during or after running for a minimum of one month. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: one receiving four weeks of outdoor gait training alongside home exercises, and the other performing solely the home exercises.
During gait training, participants received “vibrotactile feedback” through their shoes to signal prolonged contact with the ground, helping them adjust their stride and gait to reduce potential contributors to shin splints.
After the study period, both groups showed leg strength improvements. However, the group with gait training demonstrated enhanced running technique, characterized by favorable adjustments in running gait mechanics. Importantly, these improvements were evident during both outdoor and treadmill runs.
These findings suggest that outdoor gait training could be a valuable tool for treadmill users to engage in pain-free running sessions.
“Shin splints are a common running injury, particularly among newcomers to the sport,” remarked Hryvniak. “Gait cues have proven to be an effective tool that patients can utilize while on the go.”
Support for the research was provided by grants from the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association for graduate students, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association for doctoral dissertations (1920DGP01), and UVA School of Education and Human Development’s IDEA grant.
