what do shin splints feel like?

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sheldonklein
sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm in week 3 of a c25k program. I've never run before. I'm doing better than I could have hoped, but I'm feeling some bruising in one shin. Is not painful, but it is concerning. Is this incipient shin splints, or something benign?

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  • red_90
    red_90 Posts: 28 Member
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    Shin splints are simply pain in the shin cause by over use - something to do with tissue that connects to your inner bone.

    For me, I found that I got them when I first started running - I had all the triggers - over weight, feet roll in, just started running, tight calf muscles.

    What I did to make running pain free:
    - slow down. took shorter strides but kept the cadence the same
    - raised the incline of the treadmill
    - got into a habit of stretching my calfs afterwards
    - bought some minimalist running shoes (Nike free run shoes)

    I've read that running on treadmills or grass helps because the surface is softer. Also people say that proper running shoes that give your arches more support help too.

    Whenever I feel shin pain now, I just remember to slow down a bit and I'm usually fine.

    Good luck
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
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    I found changing my running form from being a heel striker to a mid foot striker helped heaps... Plenty of you tube vids about it :-)
  • Mdm1uk
    Mdm1uk Posts: 3
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    feels like knitting needles stabbing you in the shins
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
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    Ah but yes to answer your question! Yes possibly the start of shin splints. Super annoying! Take the rest days and slow down. You could also try compression sleeves, I'm liking mine :-)
  • nathalier71
    nathalier71 Posts: 570 Member
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    it's hard to explain the pain... rest seems to be the best remedy. My sports medicine doctor also had me run less often and shorter distance - for a few months. I still get them quite often as I have tight / short muscles. Not fun. Oh yes, dr also had me apply ice.
    -
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Mdm1uk wrote: »
    feels like knitting needles stabbing you in the shins

    Pretty much this.

    Don't push through the pain as in extreme cases shin splints require an operation to fix!

    http://eserv.co.uk/irl2/the-best-exercise-for-combating-shin-splints/
  • jessiemjporter
    jessiemjporter Posts: 174 Member
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    it feels like a dull stinging pain just above the ankles, i have it on one leg more than the other.
    Ive learn now not to bother just trying to keep going because i end up limping and them it even there to touch... instead i moved to elliptical machine to keep me doing.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Oh, if you do push through like I did, you'll just experience varying degrees of aches all the time like I did eg wake up at night feeling like the following woman's just kicked you in the shins with her special shoe.

    200px-Rosa_Klebb_by_Lotte_Lenya.jpg
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited November 2014
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    It's a bit like having knives driven into your shins and wriggled around...

    The cause of the pain is a combination of microfractures and tearing of the muscle away from the bone and there are a number of potential causes. The best treatment is straightforward RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) until the pain eases. Then you can address the causes.

    Potential causes:

    Overuse - Unlikely as you're only in week three of C25K but something to bear in mind if you're very unfit. I'd generally suggest being able to comfortably walk for 30-40 minutes at a reasonable pace before starting C25K.
    Inappropriate, ill fitting or worn out shoes - this is quite common, and the best option is to go to a decent running shop and get your gait analysed then pick an appropriate shoe. There are four main types; Motion control/ stability, neutral, cushioned or minimalist. A decent shop will have a returns policy. Equally I generally wouldn't suggest new shoes until your four to five weeks into the plan as it takes time to learn to run.
    Inappropriate gait - Many new runners over-extend their legs so place a high rotaitonal loading on the lower leg. Concentrate on a short, quick pace, keeping the cadence (steps per minute) high. That places much lower loads on your legs and it's far more energy efficient.
    Muscle imbalance - The muscles at the calf and the shin aren't well balanced so you end up with excess loading. There are a number of ways to strengthen the shin muscle; toe raises against a sandbag or resistance band, pedalling on a bike with your toes clipped in etc.
    Running too fast - This is related to the gait issue. The main focus in C25K should be on running for the 30 minutes. Don't worry about distance until you can run for the time.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    Meandering has given you all the basiscs you need. For me I have a huge overpronation due to Morton's Toe so I need to use stability shoes and I have cutom orthotics otherwise I'll have issues with shin splint. Right now I run about 25K per week without pain so it's not something that you have to live with forever.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    KNIVES BEING JAMMED INTO THE FRONT OF MY SHIN BONE
  • Tarien_Laide
    Tarien_Laide Posts: 6 Member
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    Shin splints start out as an annoyance. Take time off to let your shins rest. Ice them. Massage them to get blood flow going, and stretch them (you can find a lot of good shin stretches online). Minimal impact for several days and then work back into running slowly. Make sure to warm and stretch your shins well before a run. If you are still experiencing discomfort, take some more time off. I know it sucks and it is a set back when you are trying to get into a fitness/ running routine, but this is not pain that you want to try to push through, because you can make it so much worse (speaking from experience). I had shin splints so bad that my ortho made me stop running and stop insanity for 6 months. 6 months of walking and strength training only.

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