ABSTRACT
In the sports medicine literature, the appearance of pain in the lower leg while running is referred to as shin splints. The term shin splints is commonly used by athletes, coaches, trainers, and physicians to describe chronic pain in the area between the knee and ankle not involving the triceps surae muscle and the Achilles tendon. Currently, the term is used widely and variably, with little consensus on its definition.7 Obviously, the causes leading to the development of this syndrome are numerous and different in etiology,10,35,40,56,58 but all of them share a common characteristic-they are a direct consequence of long periods of excessive strain. In other words, they are classified among the large group of overuse injuries. It is our belief that the best term for this clinical entity is runner’s leg.
