Shin Splints - Day off or power through?

absolament

You're doing too much too soon. Give your body time to adapt. You will lose weight but you can't do it with an injured body. It'll take time to build yourself up to doing that level of exercise. I used to get shin splits from power walking. I rarely get them anymore because I learned to keep myself just under that threshold. Exercise should challenge you just enough --that's key. As you get stronger and leaner getting the the "just enough challenge" point will increase.

UNCClair

I have also been dealing with shin splints a bit and found the following advice really helpful:

Here are a few tips to get you through the pain-

1. Strengthen your calf muscles with exercises: Toe Raises can help build the shin muscles and improve their flexibility so you can overcome shin splints. Try writing the entire alphabet with one foot lifted in the air. Repeat with other foot.
2. Replace old shoes: Shoe cushioning is exhausted every 400-500 miles, often long before the soles or uppers show wear. But these old, dead shoes can contribute to shin splints, as well as foot and leg fatigue.
3. Alternate running days: Run only every other day until the pain disappears. Try walking if running is too painful.
4. Ice: Ice your shins every night for 20 minutes and always ice after your workout.
5. Warm-up before going fast: Warm up walking at an easy pace for ten minutes before you begin any running.
6. Stretch after warming up: Stop and do your stretch routine, especially the legs, after your warm-up.
7. Slow or stop if you feel shin splint pain: If the pain does not go away quickly at a lower speed, end your run.


I've tried #1 and #6 so far and have seen some improvement. Hope your shins feel better soon!

deadmittens

Stretch! Make sure to thoroughly stretch before doing your work outs now. I had really awful shin splits for the first few days of outdoor work outs, but read & realized I needed to stretch before hand. After I tried it I felt a lot better

jeffrodgers1

A couple of things to help you....

1. REST for a few days.

2. Warm up gently and start your workouts with some dynamic stretching.

3. Perform some deep tissue massage of the affected tissues. If you have a chiropractor who performs it...ART Therapy does work wonders.

4 Ice massage will help... Take a dixie cup... fill it with water and freeze it. Massage the ice into the shin. 4 times a day for no more than 15 minutes each time.

5. Look into a foam roller or the Stick to massage your shins and legs. Well worth the investment.

Causes -> It is critically important to address or your shin splints will continue or get worse.

Shin Splints are usually related to doing to much to soon and are considered an Overuse injury. You should never increase your mileage by more than 10% per week. You will want to cut back your workout until your legs are used to it.

Check your shoes... Are they the right kind of shoes (do you pronate or suppinate?). Do your shoes have more than 300 miles on them... shoes break down over time and stop supporting the foot.

At very least, I would go to a proper Running store and have them look at the way you run and your current shoes. They'll tell you whether you pronate or suppinate and what kind of shoes to get (i.e. Motion Control, Stability, or Neutral shoes). It may cost you a few bucks extra... but the comfort and the ability to continue working out is worth it.

Failing that, please rest... You can most definately make the situation worse and end up with Stress Fractures, or Compartment syndrome. With either of those, you may as well cut running off your list of activities as you can be looking at months on the shelf and will be more prone to future injury.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

I had suffered shin splints and continued until I suffered a Stress fracture in my left tibia. Learn from my mistakes... I was unable to run for 2 months because of this.

Hope that helps!