Shin splits playing hockey

[Cove 38]

Not sure if this is the right place for this post, so if not just let me know. Ive been having an issue since coming back to hockey recently, when I play Im getting BRUTAL pain in my shin. I believe it to be shin splits, feels like a super painful shin pump because I cant think of another way to explain it. It is mostly a problem later in the skate, but I can handle it skating wise but on the bench its like a brutal pain that takes an hour or so after I'm done skating to go away. I think weight has something to do with it, as Im about 255lb (not fat but not not fat) and I think that has an impact on it. Would stretching the calf be the solution? Something else like a monkey foot? Any suggestions are welcome.

[YesLanges 127]

It's not your calves; it's their antagonists on the front of your shins; so stretching your calves while it's happening is the opposite of what you want to do. I had the same problem when I came back to skating after a 24-year layoff, but in my case, it was more the horrible cramps at night. It's probably either just those long-dormant muscles working against the stiffness of the boot whenever you flex your foot upwards or lateral tibialis compartment syndrome, which involves the same muscles getting too pumped up for the amount of room available within the surrounding facia enclosing them, which is really only treatable with minor surgery to open up that sheath of facia to reduce the internal pressure. If you never had that pain before, chances are it's just the former and will resolve after you get used to skating again. Stretching does help, but unlike calves, those muscles are very difficult to stretch, which is why you can't really stop them when they cramp up at night the way you can stop calf cramps by just lifting your foot up or stretching it on a step or against the floor. Calf sleeves seem to help a bit, but the best intervention that I've found is rubbing on some mineral oil before and after skating.

https://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/lower-leg/calf-pain/lateral-compartment-syndrome