Shin Splints

HockeyGoalie35

Anyone have any remidies or advice on how to deal with then until they stop?

lamps1303

If you're getting shin splints from running/jogging/walking chances are you're wearing the wrong type of shoe for your foot. I have very flat feet and used to get shin splints because my shoes weren't supporting my feet.

Get down to a specialist running shop where you can have a gait analysis done. They will assess your running style and recommend appropriate shoes

Rak0ribz

If you're getting shin splints from running/jogging/walking chances are you're wearing the wrong type of shoe for your foot. I have very flat feet and used to get shin splints because my shoes weren't supporting my feet.

Get down to a specialist running shop where you can have a gait analysis done. They will assess your running style and recommend appropriate shoes

I agree - mine went away when I got new running shoes.

jclist1

If you're getting shin splints from running/jogging/walking chances are you're wearing the wrong type of shoe for your foot. I have very flat feet and used to get shin splints because my shoes weren't supporting my feet.

Get down to a specialist running shop where you can have a gait analysis done. They will assess your running style and recommend appropriate shoes

^^This. The right shoe can prevent them from occurring in the first place. Once they are developed though, rest. Make sure you are working out your calf muscles too. Icing can help, and always make sure you are stretching.

SonicDeathMonkey80

Properly fitted shoes
RICE
Put a hard ball on the floor and roll your arch over it
Aleve

MeanderingMammal

Anyone have any remidies or advice on how to deal with then until they stop?

This comes up so regularly I'm tempted to write a blog post and just point to it...

Shin splints as a term is used for a range of different lower leg pain symptoms, ranging from mild muscular pain to excruciating unable to walk without assistance level of pain. The cause of the pain is microfractures in the shin bone and the muscle tearing away from the shin bone as a resul tof the stresses induced by activities, the most common being running.

Treating the pain and damage is, as Sonic points out above, a question of rest, ice, compression and elevation until the pain subsides. Once that's happened you have an opportunity to adress the underlying cause, to avoid the issue again in future.

It's most common in running and the underlying issues can be one or more from:

Shoes being improperly fitted, inappropriate for running gait or lifed out. The first two, as above, get properly fitted at a running specialist who can advise on the different types of gait and different shoe types to address te various gaits. The latter is more about understanding how far you've gone on the shoes, most have a life of about 500 miles, subject to your weight.
Running form - If you overstep in the front of the cycle, common in new runners, you end up putting a significant amount of load on the lower leg as you lever your weight over the ankle. Try to land the foot just in front of the body mass and push off, this alleviates the load and activates the glutes more effectively in the run cycle.
Too much/ Too quick - Again quite common. Take it easy in terms of adding distance or speed to the sessions, generally no more than 10% increase per week with regular de-load weeks.
Muscular imbalance - the muscle on the front of the shin bone and the calves both contribute to the movement, frequently the calf is much stronger than the shin muscle and the imbalance creates issues. There are a number of different things that you can do to strengthen the shin muscle, pulling up with the toe against an exercise band, lifting a sandbag with the toes etc. Alternatively if you cycle then clip in and pull up on the pedal as well as pushing down, so-called "pedalling in circles" rather than pumping up and down.

I trust those help, it's a horrible injury

dadeys1

Agree with above. Good shoes and inserts can make a big difference. I also wore compression socks for a time and that seemed to help as well. The best thing I found was a "toe raise" exercise that I do during warm up. It helped me alot. Here's an article I found on dealing with shin splints.

http://www.self.com/blogs/flash/2011/05/4-shin-splint-solutions-and-st.html

Good luck.

HockeyGoalie35

Thank you everyone

dperret1975

I agree Meanderingman, it's a horrible injury. I started having shin splints about 2 years ago but as the pain was not "too bad" and it came as quick as it went I didn't relly worry about it. Until though I did my first marathon when it would go away anymore. The pain started to increase and after a record run of 25k under 2 hours I had tears I was so happy but at the same time I knew it was enough. I had to go see a doctor. I had an echo made on which it showed I had such a terrible inflammation it could have easily resulted in a stress facture. On doctor's orders I stopped running........for 5 months.......I had therapy 2x per week, changed running shoes, had insoles made and iced every day. Pain was gone and on the verification echo there was just a scar left. Yeah!!!!!!!!!! I started running slowly , 30 minutes, 35 min, 40 min and at 45 once again had to stop. Pain back!!!!! I decided to switch my therapist and and are in fact now treated for the probable cause. The fact, indeed like you described, my shin muscle being too weak to support the running. I am having treatments called isocinetisme, shock wave therapy and lots of exercises/stretches to do. We'll see how long it takes this time. Hopefully not another 5 months beacuse I would really like to run the NY marathon this year..................

My point being that anybody with shin splints please take it seriously, ice, stretch, get proper shoes and when it doesn't go away go see a sports doctor........