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Hello and Question

R

rlestra5

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Other
Hello all,

My name is Ryan. I am here because I have been experiencing chronic lower leg pain in both legs for almost six months now. I developed what my orthopedist said were shin splints back at the end of February as a result of playing indoor volleyball. I was taking some anti-inflammatories at the time and actually rested the problem for THREE whole months with no activity. Then I began to play volleyball once a week again on the beach but I would still hurt after playing. I recently got a bone scan done and it was diagnosed as "tibial stress reaction". I previously had blood work done and there was nothing found, really. I even had an MRI done back in March that came back clean and I had an ultrasound performed for blood clots which also showed nothing.

I have rested for the last month or so, but I still get a lot of pain at rest for no apparent reason. The pain seems to sometimes be worse when I am sitting in one location for a long period of time (like driving a car) versus doing an activity, although activity does seem to persist the problem. My question is, is there any chance this could be diabetes related? I am 32 years old with no other real health concerns except maybe a little bit of high blood pressure.

Thanks all.
 
I don't think it's diabetes related, since you had blood tests and nothing was found. I presume the tests included blood glucose or HbA1c, which would indicate the presence or absence of diabetes or prediabetes. You might want to ask for a copy of your test results to be sure.

The kind of leg pain you describe, if it was diabetes related, would only occur after someone had been diabetic for some time.

I suggest you see a physiotherapist about your shin pain. They might be able to help you work up to activity gradually to avoid irritating the area.

I suggest having an annual blood test for diabetes, since you have high blood pressure, as the two can be related. Are you in the normal weight range for your height? That is one of the best ways to avoid diabetes, along with avoiding abdominal fat. If you want more advice on how to avoid diabetes, let us know.

If your blood pressure is above a certain level, then taking medication for it can protect your kidneys from damage. Most people with high BP are unable to reduce it without medication. If it's only at a pre-hypertension level, then ask your doctor how often you need to get it checked. My guess is at least yearly.
 
Here is some info I found on shin irritation conditions.
http://www.drpribut.com/sports/stress_fracture.html

A podiatrist may be able to help with orthotic inserts for your shoes. Playing barefoot on the beach might not be possible if you want to avoid stirring up this condition. Indoor volleyball might be better, as you can wear shoes with orthotics, as long as you avoid concrete floors.
 
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