Morphological bone changes in shin splints.

Intermittent pain in the lower leg with excessive physical activity is not unusual, and in athletes and soldiers, may even be disabling. This condition is sometimes referred to as “shin splints,” a concept which has also been accepted in the medical literature: “The standard nomenclature of athletic injuries shin splints, is defined as pain and discomfort in the leg from repetitive running on a hard surface or forcible, excessive use of foot flexors; diagnosis should be limited to musculotendinous inflammations, excluding fracture or ischemic disorder.”2 This definition, broad because of the difficulties with differential diagnosis, includes several pathologic conditions, e.g., compartment syndromes and stress fractures, and inflammatory reactions of tendons, tendon attachments and muscles.” Shin splints may be distinguished by pain along the medial edge of the tibia, found particularly among runners and jumpers. This particular entity has also been referred to as “the medial-tibia1 ~ y n d r o m e . ” ~ . ~ Roentgenographic examinations and isotopes scintigraphies4,5,8,9,12.141 6-1 8 have, in some instances, diagnosed stress fractures as the cause of the pain. However, in most cases,