Selected Measures of Angular Displacement,Strength, and Flexibility in Subjects With and Without Shin Splints

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if angular displacement between the calcaneus and the midline of the lower leg while running is related to shin splints. A secondary purpose was to compare the strength and flexibility of ankle-joint plantar flexion, dorsal flexion, inversion, and eversion of shin-splint-injured and non-shin-splint-injured subjects. Two groups of conditioned female athletes were randomly selected to participate in this study. One group had a previous history of chronic shin splints, and the other group had no history of shin-splint injury. Angular displacement between the calcaneus and the midline of the lower leg was measured from motion picture film (100 frames/second) taken while the subjects were running at two speeds, 3m/second and 5m/second. A cable tensiometer was used to measure plantar flexion, dorsal flexion, and inversion and eversion strength at the ankle joint; and a goniometer was used to measure the flexibility of the plantar flexors, dorsiflexors, invertors, and evertors at the ankle joint. The results indicated that a shin-splint-injured leg had greater angular displacement between the calcaneus and the midline of the lower leg than a healthy leg, and that shoes and speed of running had an influence upon the amount of angular displacement. In addition, the muscular strength of the plantar flexor muscle was greater in the shin-splint subjects than in the non-shin-splint subjects.