Shin splints

meputer

I’ve been walking everyday minus a couple rain days. I’m walking 1 1/2 - 2 Miles. My calf muscle gets so tight and hurts like crazy. I stretch before I walk. Any advice?

DanielleFayeS

Do you have a foam roll? It's painful on tight calves but can help. I get awful shin splints. I actually stretch a few times a day. I find the "stand with toes on a step and let your heels dip downward" to be really helpful.

kimhski1

Are your sneakers new or have you had them awhile? Do you have any special inserts in them? I get shin splints a lot when my sneakers are nearing the end of exercise use.

Are you staying hydrated?

meputer

No I don’t have one but I will for sure check into that. I love walking and don’t want to stop. I want to get up to at least 3 Miles a day. I’m walking right now and I feel like I have to just flop my feet now...like I don’t have control of them. Thanks for the comment. ❤️

brittyn3

Walking backwards might help as well, your shin splints could also be due to a muscle imbalance. Take a towel and wrap it around your foot holding it in each hand, with resistance move your foot back and force. Also, buy some paper cups, freeze them and "ice" massage your shin where it's sore. That will help cut back on inflammation if there is any.

Whatever you do, don't stretch cold muscles. Warm up your calves a little before you stretch them.

meputer

Thank you!! I’ll try that. I always stretch before I walk and get ha e to stop during the walk and so I again. Maybe I’m making it worse by stretching before?

brittyn3

Your calves being tight is likely the culprit - putting too much stress on your shin muscles. Get those to loosen up a little before you start to walk. Definitely, ice. If it feels like they aren't improving - you may need to rest them and strengthen them with exercises.

ETA: reiterating, do not stretch cold muscles, you will do more harm than good

meputer

What’s strange to me is that after about a mile it eases off. The first 1/2 mile is almost unbearable.

datash1

I was getting shin splints when I first started running. What helped me, like what others are saying, is stretching. I also bought compression sleeves / socks for my calves that have greatly improved my running experience due to added support and circulation. I no longer feel any shin splint pain.

brittyn3

meputer wrote: »

What’s strange to me is that after about a mile it eases off. The first 1/2 mile is almost unbearable.

Because your muscles are warmed up. Try walking backwards (be careful), and try using the the towel resistance to help, and as someone else suggested toe ups/foam roller.

meputer

I’m staying hydrated. I drink water all day. My shoes are from last year and so are the inserts. I should probably get some new ones.

DebLaBounty

Walk about 5 minutes to warm up. Then do your stretches. Cold muscles don't appreciate the insult.

Certainly go to a running store to evaluate your gait. If your foot has to flop to avoid pain, you're not helping yourself at all. I went to a running store, they checked out how I walked and jogged in five different pairs of shoes. I've always gotten shin splints, but after buying the proper pair of shoes I completely avoided any pain to my feet, shins, knees and hips. It's well worth the investment!

Tacklewasher

DebLaBounty wrote: »

Walk about 5 minutes to warm up. Then do your stretches. Cold muscles don't appreciate the insult.

Certainly go to a running store to evaluate your gait. If your foot has to flop to avoid pain, you're not helping yourself at all. I went to a running store, they checked out how I walked and jogged in five different pairs of shoes. I've always gotten shin splints, but after buying the proper pair of shoes I completely avoided any pain to my feet, shins, knees and hips. It's well worth the investment!

^^This.

Had shin splints after buying a "good" pair of shoes at a box store.

Had someone look at me walk around a proper store and the shoes they recommended have cured the issue.

RadishEater

To help with your shins, I found the following exercise: reverse calf raises to be an absolute life saver! I love hiking, cooking, cleaning, so on weekends I barely sit down except at night. Hence, wearing shoes with support even in my apartment makes a huge difference.

For the exercise
You stand on a step barefoot with your toes hanging off (aka only the back half of your foot is on the step), then you flex your toes/foot down and up (keeping your heel rooted to the step) for about 20-30s.
Then sink down a couple inches as if you were going to do a squat and repeat the flexes.

I found this exercise to be the most helpful and it really activates my shin muscles. Especially in the squat position the muscles will start burning after only 15 s. Whenever my shins start feeling achey again I start doing this a couple of times per day and it drives the problem away.

Best of luck

here is a link for a diagram http://www.weightwatchers.com/templates/print.aspx?PageId=1290831&PrintFlag=yes&previewDate=1/4/2012

MeanderingMammal

meputer wrote: »

I’ve been walking everyday minus a couple rain days. I’m walking 1 1/2 - 2 Miles. My calf muscle gets so tight and hurts like crazy. I stretch before I walk. Any advice?

That's not shin splints. Shin splints are essentially microfractures tearing the shin muscle from the front of the bone on the lower leg.

What you're describing is just tight calves, the effect of walking for the first few hundred metres is warming up and stretching the muscle. Cold stretching beforehand is doing nothing for you, and might actually be contributing to the pain.

What I'd suggest is starting off more slowly, don't bother cold stretching in advance. As you walk gradually increase speed until you're at the pace you want to maintain.

You shouldn't need to stretch after walking, but if you feel the need then let the muscles warm up beforehand, then spend some time on it after you've finished.

MeanderingMammal

meputer wrote: »

My shoes are from last year and so are the inserts. I should probably get some new ones.

Last ear is only seven weeks ago!

One thing I'd caution is all the advice about new shoes and gait analysis. It's up there as one of the certainties of life that as soon as someone asks questions about running or walking, particularly if any suggestion of pain is involved, that people will pile on with get gait analysis as an answer.

Whilst gait analysis has a place in coaching, and in treatment, it is neither essential nor helpful in many circumstances.

Essentially, you're walking, and for a short distance. Concentrate on comfortable shoes that have a supportive arch. Personally it would seem foolish to go and buy new shoes, when you really don't need them.