21/06/2025
📝📌Evidence-Based Management of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome in Runners.
🦴 Definition & Pathophysiology
MTSS = overuse injury characterized by diffuse pain along the medial tibial border.
Exists on a spectrum of tibial bone stress injuries; synonymous with a Fredericson grade I bone stress injury (BSI) .
Two theories:
Traction theory: repetitive stress from plantar flexors.
Tibial bending theory: repetitive loading leads to osseous microdamage.
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🔍 Diagnosis
Clinical signs: diffuse tenderness ≥5 cm along posteromedial tibia.
Imaging: MRI preferred to exclude higher grade BSI. MTSS = Grade 1 BSI on Fredericson scale.
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⚠️ Risk Factors
Intrinsic: Female s*x, ↑ BMI, history of MTSS, Female Athlete Triad/RED-S, biomechanical issues (e.g., rearfoot eversion, weak hip abductors).
Extrinsic: Training errors, smoking, inadequate calcium/vitamin D, poor shoewear.
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🧍♀️ Female Athlete Triad / RED-S
Includes low energy availability, menstrual irregularities, and low bone mineral density.
Athletes with ≥2 components are 4.7× more likely to sustain a BSI.
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🏃 Biomechanics
Risk factors: tight IT bands, weak hip abductors, overpronation, rearfoot strike, low cadence.
Navicular drop >10 mm doubles MTSS risk.
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👟 Shoewear
Inappropriate footwear (e.g., lacking support, overused) increases MTSS risk.
Replace shoes every 250–500 miles.
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👩⚕️ Management Overview
1. 🛌 Activity Modification
Rest until pain-free with ADLs.
4–6 weeks rest → gradual return-to-run protocol.
2. 💊 Medications
Prefer sparing use of acetaminophen; avoid NSAIDs due to healing inhibition.
3. 🏋️♂️ Physical Therapy
Neuromuscular training, core and ankle strengthening, plyometrics.
4. 👣 Gait Retraining
Improve foot strike, cadence, hip/knee control.
Biofeedback shown to reduce MTSS incidence in military recruits.
5. 🦶 Bracing/Orthotics
Shock-absorbent insoles, arch support may help normalize pressure.
6. 💥 Shockwave Therapy
Decreased symptom duration; promotes bone matrix deposition.
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🏁 Graduated Return to Run
Cross-training first (pool, elliptical, AG treadmill).
3-Phase Protocol:
Phase 1: Rest, cryotherapy, core exercises.
Phase 2: Low-impact cardio.
Phase 3: Gradual run progression (≤10% increase/week).
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