Shin splints or not? How to get rid of it?

sw0301

While running I get a pain down the front of my leg, right along the bone. I can slow to a walk & it eases up but comes back when jogging. It's pretty much gone as soon as I stop running also. I've tried MANY different shoes and even have custom insoles now, so I can't figure out why this still happens. I feel like I could run so much more if I didn't get this pain.

Anyone have any other suggestions of things I should try? & do you think it's actually shin splints?

Thanks in advance!!

elmr34

Above all I think talking to a sports doctor (usually an orthopedist?) or physical therapist is the best idea if you try stuff and it doesn't go away. I am assuming you have had your shoes fit by a running store employee who knew what they were doing. I am not an expert at all, but what has helped me is drinking a ton of water and stretching a lot after exercise. Since I don't really have any distance goals when I run (at this point in time)- I only focus on taking small, quick steps and keeping good form.

If I am really sore I take a day off exercise or at least do something completely different (no jumping jacks, jump rope, or running).

thatonegirlwiththestuff

Pain down the front of the bone sounds like shin splints. I also get them, but not being an avid runner, I just laid of the running. My sister in law says a few of her friends have some special tape that they use for their shin splints. You may want to google it.

AJ_G

Build up the muscle in your Tibialis Anterior, and I also recommend these, they worked great for me and I used to get terrible shin splints:

http://www.amazon.com/2XU-Compression-Calf-Guards-Black/dp/B00669NN6C/ref=sr_1_25?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1372036098&sr=1-25&keywords=2xu+calf

aquarabbit

Sounds like a shin splint to me, I've dealt with them pretty much my whole life. I was in a car accident when I was 3 and it made my right leg much weaker than my left. When I got into sports in high school and college (and even now when I'm trying to get back into shape) I had to deal with shin splints so much regardless of the shoes I wore or how much I tried to stay off it when it was hurting. Here are my recommendations that helped me a lot:

- Ice it a little while after a workout. I know everyone knows this one, but I thought I'd throw it in to be thorough.
- Shin sleeve. Also known as a compression sleeve. I use this whenever I know there's going to be impact on my shins.
- Strength training of the calves. This helped me the most. Do exercises that help build up the front muscles of the lower leg. The more muscle you have, the more support your bone will get. And you don't bulk up unless you use REALLY heavy weights. I have to do 600 calf exercises to keep my right leg the same strength as my left and I've never had issues bulking up. And you would probably have to do way fewer.
- Talk to you city about getting a rubber jogging path. This one's a bit over the top, but in my hometown they mashed up a whole bunch of leftover tires and made a running path so that people could run with the least amount of impact. There were a lot less injuries on the cross country team that year. I've heard of a few places that are doing this. It was really nice to run on. Squishy.

Hope this gave you some good ideas. After a while they should stop, but you may get them from time to time no matter what you do. Just make sure you're letting them heal or it could lead to bigger problems.

Doodlewhopper

While running I get a pain down the front of my leg, right along the bone. I can slow to a walk & it eases up but comes back when jogging. It's pretty much gone as soon as I stop running also. I've tried MANY different shoes and even have custom insoles now, so I can't figure out why this still happens. I feel like I could run so much more if I didn't get this pain.

Anyone have any other suggestions of things I should try? & do you think it's actually shin splints?

Thanks in advance!!

I dont think you have shinsplints. Generally, shinsplint pain goes away after you warm up. A stress-fracture will hurt for the duration of the run.

Stop running and if the pain doesnt go away in two weeks, get a bone scan. The more you run the worse it will get, and eventually the bone just may break.

Doodlewhopper

aquarabbit's

Ive been a runner for years and suffered from shin splints. Since I started running in minimalist shoes (New Balance Minimus) I have not had any more shin splints. I weigh 222 and ran over 75 miles last month alone. I just bought a pair of Merrill Vapor Glove and will start running in them this coming week. They are no more than ballet shoes!

If you do consider going minimalist you have to slowly transition or you can suffer injury. My feet were in pretty good shape and they still ached for quite sometime while I transitioned. Be patient and run only short distances until your feet toughen up.