Help! Constantly getting shin splints!

lucybarry2

Hi, I currently run three times a week - on the road! I know this is a cause of shin splints however does anyone know of anything I can do to help reduce or heal the problem? My knees swell too occasionally which puts me off running!

mrp56839

It's not necessarily what surfaces you run on, rather how you land with your feet. Read up on heel striking... (Runnersworld.com message boards is a great resource to help fix these issues.)

scottish_laura_13

u might need insoles
I find if I do some yoga, tai chi and palates (basically balance stretching) instead of the normal few stretches ive always been shown this reduces my shin splints (oh and its faster than normal yoga)

lucybarry2

Thanks guys I will have a read of runners world and definitely look into new stretches as you suggest Laura.

cot_ter

It is also how you tie your footwear, and the correct fit. You should be wearing a size larger in running shoes and not tie them too tight. Do them up in a criss cross way and if you have a high bump on your foot don't cross over that. This along with the other suggestions could help a lot, also if you haven't run in a long time it could be a case of maybe trying too much.

19Remco80

Maybe compression socks for extra support?

pzarnosky

The only thing that helped me was to stop running. I was training for a 25K last year, mostly treadmill because I didn't want to run outside in MI in Jan/Feb. I kept pushing through the pain, and the shin splints continued to get worse. I pushed to the point where I was limping when walking. Because of that, I had to take over 2 months off of running so my leg could heal and it ruined my time at the race.

I tried everything - ice, compression, NSAID's, elevation, stretching, kt tape, different running shoes. None of it helped because my injury had gotten so bad. My advice to you, let it rest and heal. Take a week or so off, do some really deep stretches and if you haven't, get fitted by a professional for running shoes. Come back after that week and see how you feel.

Ultimately I don't know what caused my shin splints. I'm training for the same race again now and once again, it's mostly on the treadmill. This year though, I'm fine, no injuries and my pace has gotten significantly faster. My shoes are pretty much the same (lots of support for my low arches), but the one big difference is that I'm 25lbs lighter than i was this time last year.. I also spend at least one night a week stretching for close to an hour to really loosen my muscles up.

lucybarry2

Thanks for comments - some good advise I'm sure to take onboard - thanks

b_magill

I'd check out trigger points as well. Sometimes, it's not so much a problem technically in the muscle as it is the nerves tricking you into thinking that. Trigger points are super sneaky, so it's worth at least looking at.

ledwards890

When I ran I had them bad, I found for me I had to start running VERY slow to get really warmed up and then get into my pace. I tried ice, deep tissue massage, ultrasound and yoga but once I had them only rest took them away. Good Luck!

AzhureSnow

I've battled with shin splints and plantar fasciitis off and on since my high school cross country days.

If your form is solid, shoes are good, but you are still having issues, I recommend seeing a podiatrist and/or getting a gait analysis to determine if you have structural issues in your feet or ankles. Custom orthotics and a stability shoe made my shin splints much less of an issue.