Which shin splints is the “real” shin splints: compartment syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome, or stress fracture?
They are all “real” shin splints. People often mistakenly believe that the real shin splints is limited to just one of these. For instance, medial tibial stress syndrome — irritation and degeneration of the shin bone, and/or the soft tissue around it — is probably what most professionals think shin splints is these days. And it probably is the most common type of shin pain. “Shin splints” is a curiously old-fashioned term — like “lumbago” or “consumption.” However, it is definitely not the only kind! Until I studied this subject intensively, I believed that real shin splints was “compartment syndrome,” and other kinds of shin pain were just … well, just other kinds of shin pain. But I soon learned that there are actually at least three major, known and common kinds of shin pain, as well as some little known and rarer types, any of which may get labelled as the “real” shin splints, depending on who you are listening to. Effectively, shin splints really does mean any kind of shin pain. T
