DURHAM, N.C., May 25 (UPI) -- U.S. sports-medicine experts advise precautions to avoid what is commonly referred to as shin splints -- a generic term for pain between knee and ankle.
"Although there many reasons why pain is felt in this area, shin splints are considered a cumulative stress disorder, as opposed to an acute injury," said Dr. Claude T. Moorman III, director of sports medicine at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
"They typically develop when the constant pounding and stresses placed on the bones, muscles and joints overwhelm the body's natural ability to repair the damage and restore itself."
Moorman said that warming up before exercise as a preventive measure for injuries such as shin splints remains hotly debated by specialists in the field.
"We at Duke, based on research at the Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Laboratory, recommend a slow warm-up period before beginning the activity," Moorman said. "We believe that about 10 minutes of graduated activity is the best way to prepare the body for exertion."
