Comparative Study using Four Modalities in Shinsplint Treatments*.

A question of current interest and debate in physical therapy is the proper treatment of shinsplints. Various investigators have espoused the merits of different treatment programs for the clinical management of shinsplints. However, data comparing the effectiveness of the several methods is limited. This study compares the effects of ice massage, ultrasound, iontophoresis, and phonophoresis in young adults with a shinsplint syndrome. The results indicate that none of these treatment modalities was superior to another; however, all were clearly superior to a controlled treatment program. Regression analyses indicated that appropriate treatment modalities for shinsplints should be a function of the restoration of the individual's range of motion, the number of treatments that can be provided, and the availability of the treatment mode. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1986;8(2):77-80.