Help with YOUR Shin Splints.

AZTrailRunner

I've seen this question asked numerous times, and since I too have dealt with "Shin Splints" off and on over the past 20 years, I thought I'd post my thoughts on causes and cures for the aggravating pain.

Before we begin, let's quantify the term "shin splints"... it is generally a dull pain, located between the knee and the ankle, on the inner or outer anterior (front) portion of the lower leg, and brought on my some form of athletic activity; mainly running here in the MFP land.


So how do you get them?

The answer..... there are many ways to get them. Shin Splints are generally considered an "overuse" injury, and tends to develop in an accumulative manner, and not acutely or sudden.

But generally speaking, here are the usual culprits:

1. You are new to running, and your lower legs aren't used to the pounding.
2. You are adding too much distance in too short of a time.
3. You are increasing intensity too soon.
4. You are running on very hard surfaces (sidewalks) before your legs can handle it.
5. You over-pronate.
6. Old, broken-down shoes.
7. Underdeveloped/ unbalanced lower leg muscles.
8. Poor running form

There are sure to be a few other reasons, but these are the main ones.


TREATMENT:

1. Get fitted for proper "running shoes" at a running store. Toss out your shoes after 400-500 miles. They break down internally.
2. Have your form checked and make necessary adjustments. This will not only prevent shin splints, but also other running-related injuries, increase your speed, and make you more efficient.
3. Ibuprofen after a run.
4. Ice the shins for 20 minutes at a time after your run.
5. Stretch your calves thoroughly after running.
6. Strengthen your Tibialis Anterior muscles (muscle on your shin bone):
..............A. Walk around on your heels (toes in the air) for 30 seconds at a time several times per day.
..............B. Sit on a high seat so that your feet can dangle off the ground. Use your feet to hold a small dumbbell (5-10lbs). Make sure the dumbbell is up towards your toes. Now lift the dumbbell with your toes as high as you can (only moving your feet, not your legs). You want to feel the muscle on the front of your lower leg contracting (Tibialis Anterior). Do a couple sets of 15-20.
..............C. Use your toes to spell out the Alphabet on the floor. You can also use your toes to pick up marbles and set them aside.
7. Ease back on your running. Either take more time off until healed, slow down, run shorter distances, or stay off of hard surfaces until fully re-couped.
8. If you are a new runner, add more "walking time" into your runs.

Experienced runners can get caught with Shin Splints too just from adding in some crazy workouts, so it's not just a problem for new runners. Left untreated, Shin Splints could possibly turn into Stress Fractures. If that is the case, you will certainly be taking a few months off from running. So take care of them when they first start bothering you.

Bottom line, ease back on the pounding until your legs can handle the abuse.

Call out to my Running Veterans, please feel free to add anything I missed. Thank you!

AggieCass09

i liked the RW article on this a while back...talked about treating it after you get em...

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-290--529-2-3X6-3,00.html

lynnie30

Great info!

TNAJackson

TREATMENT:
6. Strengthen your Tibialis Anterior muscles (muscle on your shin bone):
..............A. Walk around on your heels (toes in the air) for 3-5 minutes several times per day.
..............B. Sit on a high seat so that your feet can dangle off the ground. Use your feet to hold a small dumbbell (5-10lbs). Make sure the dumbbell is up towards your toes. Now lift the dumbbell with your toes as high as you can (only moving your feet, not your legs). You want to feel the muscle on the front of your lower leg contracting (Tibialis Anterior). Do a couple sets of 15-20.

Thank you SO much for this part in particular!!! Had no idea and am very grateful to learn a way to strengthen those muscles!!

AZTrailRunner

i liked the RW article on this a while back...talked about treating it after you get em...

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-290--529-2-3X6-3,00.html

Excellent! I'm gonna go check that out. Thank you.

runningathena

http://foothealth.about.com/b/2008/05/14/9-exercises-to-help-prevent-shin-splints.htm

It speaks for itself.

arc918

good stuff!

izzyinbliss

Thank YOU! I was just researching this, as my shinsplints have returned despite a 2 week break of only short runs.

It's been perplexing to me, as I feel like I've done everything "right"—properly-fitted shoes, replaced regularly, careful adding of miles, getting off the pavement onto the asphalt road, 2 weeks of recovery post half-marathon that included some serious form adjustment (my half marathon pix made me realized how badly I was heel-striking!), and lots of toning & swimming & yoga. But after my 8-mile run today (my longest run in the last 3 weeks), my shinsplints are back.

Will now seriously add in the toe/heel exercises to my training! I'm also gradually rotating in some VFF barefoot running in hopes it would help.

meggers123

I'm a VVF barefoot runner, and I have the opposite problem. What about sore calves? I just took 2 1/2 weeks off, to rest my legs since I didn't want to overdo it, but I am curious if there are ways to strengthen the calves and/or prevent soreness there. (yes, I use a mid-front foot form).

Any other barefoot runner have this issue? Especially when transitioning (been wearing mine since Nov, but only running in them since June).

Dean31

I'm a VVF barefoot runner, and I have the opposite problem. What about sore calves? I just took 2 1/2 weeks off, to rest my legs since I didn't want to overdo it, but I am curious if there are ways to strengthen the calves and/or prevent soreness there. (yes, I use a mid-front foot form).

Any other barefoot runner have this issue? Especially when transitioning (been wearing mine since Nov, but only running in them since June).

I also run in VFF and had the same thing initially, which is natural. I forefoot run, which puts most of the work on your calves, and I could hardly walk after I jogged a mile for the first time in mine lol. I let my calves recover pretty much completely before I ran again (I really didn't have a choice, they HURT!), which took about a week or so. After that though I went back to it, ran a mile, and had zero soreness. I guess my muscles just adjusted. You asked if there are ways to strengthen the calves...there are other ways sure, but just walking and jogging work great-we just pushed ourselves too far too fast. I would suggest that you walk a lot in them first, which you've probably done since you've been wearing them since November and then, when running, start with a slow to moderate pace and do no more than half a mile for a week or 2, then slowly increase your distance.

I got kinda cocky I guess when I stopped having sore calves and upped my distance to 2 miles, which resulted in me having painfully sore feet-and I'm talking about the top/instep of my feet, not the soles. My soles were sore too, but not near as bad as my insteps. SO, if you've not had that problem you might if you try to push yourself too far after your calves have strengthened.

The thing about barefoot running is that shoes have really, REALLY pampered our feet. We don't even come near to realizing just how much. The muscles in your calves and especially your feet have become "spoiled" and really weak. You just have to take it really slow (and consistent!) and build up that strength. It can take several months, but in the end it well worth it.

AZTrailRunner

I'm a VVF barefoot runner, and I have the opposite problem. What about sore calves? I just took 2 1/2 weeks off, to rest my legs since I didn't want to overdo it, but I am curious if there are ways to strengthen the calves and/or prevent soreness there. (yes, I use a mid-front foot form).

Any other barefoot runner have this issue? Especially when transitioning (been wearing mine since Nov, but only running in them since June).

I also run in VFF and had the same thing initially, which is natural. I forefoot run, which puts most of the work on your calves, and I could hardly walk after I jogged a mile for the first time in mine lol. I let my calves recover pretty much completely before I ran again (I really didn't have a choice, they HURT!), which took about a week or so. After that though I went back to it, ran a mile, and had zero soreness. I guess my muscles just adjusted. You asked if there are ways to strengthen the calves...there are other ways sure, but just walking and jogging work great-we just pushed ourselves too far too fast. I would suggest that you walk a lot in them first, which you've probably done since you've been wearing them since November and then, when running, start with a slow to moderate pace and do no more than half a mile for a week or 2, then slowly increase your distance.

I got kinda cocky I guess when I stopped having sore calves and upped my distance to 2 miles, which resulted in me having painfully sore feet-and I'm talking about the top/instep of my feet, not the soles. My soles were sore too, but not near as bad as my insteps. SO, if you've not had that problem you might if you try to push yourself too far after your calves have strengthened.

The thing about barefoot running is that shoes have really, REALLY pampered our feet. We don't even come near to realizing just how much. The muscles in your calves and especially your feet have become "spoiled" and really weak. You just have to take it really slow (and consistent!) and build up that strength. It can take several months, but in the end it well worth it.

It's not just matter of landing more mid-foot to fore-foot, you also need to consider that you are running with a shoe that lacks the extra .50- 1.0 inches of heel padding. Without that heel padding your calves have to stretch that little bit extra to put your heel on the ground. Depending on your gait before running in the VFFs, you may be feeling soreness in your calves just from that extra stretch. I know I did!

Good stuff my friends!

meggers123

thanks guys. I don't really know how far I run, but I do 30-40 minutes outdoors, so I was probably just doing too much too soon. I think I'll rein it back to a 15 minute-run (plus warm out and cool down of course).

Looking forward to getting back out there this evening.

edit: a couple times my feet (bottom front) got a bit sore, but I got off the sidewalk, and onto the dirt/gravel at the park and that really helped

Dean31

thanks guys. I don't really know how far I run, but I do 30-40 minutes outdoors, so I was probably just doing too much too soon. I think I'll rein it back to a 15 minute-run (plus warm out and cool down of course).

Looking forward to getting back out there this evening.

edit: a couple times my feet (bottom front) got a bit sore, but I got off the sidewalk, and onto the dirt/gravel at the park and that really helped

I can walk almost 3 miles in 40 minutes, so yeah, sounds like you're pushing too far too fast. ...and I didn't even think about the gait thing lol.

bloodstar

It's a really great poost but there's a bit of clarification that's worth mentioning:

There are two types of shin splints, and the cause (and treatments) differ based on the location of the shin splints.

You've got Anterior Shin Splints (which is pain along the front of the shin) and Posterior Shin Splints (Pain along the inside of the shin).

Anterior Shin Splints are typically (but not always) caused by some sort of over training. Either by increasing mileage too quickly, or running on hard surfaces.

Posterior Shin Splints are typically caused by over pronation. Which is most easily corrected by proper shoes or orthotics.

Hope this helps!

Schwiggity

definite bump. I always get shin splints in my right leg for some reason. It might be time for new shoes, but I can't afford a proper fitting or good shoes right now so I need to put it off a few weeks.

laursey

Bump!

Picklepower

bump

gradgal01

bump.

SaishaLea

bump

TressaBarron

bump

edorice

You say to take Ibuprofen after a run. Would it be beneficial to take it before a run?

alyssamiller77

One thing that I would change about your suggestions is in the stretching category, focus on your entire lower body, not just the calves. I had shin splints that I dealt with for years. Ultimately it turned out the my lack of flexibility in my Hamstrings was the culprit. Focusing on stretching them, my hips and of course my calves to improve flexibility proved to be the key.

AZTrailRunner

One thing that I would change about your suggestions is in the stretching category, focus on your entire lower body, not just the calves. I had shin splints that I dealt with for years. Ultimately it turned out the my lack of flexibility in my Hamstrings was the culprit. Focusing on stretching them, my hips and of course my calves to improve flexibility proved to be the key.

Excellent point!!! I'm no longer able to edit the original post to include a few other great tips that have been recommended. I may revise the entire article and start a whole new thread.

Thanks for the tip!

MrsWibbly

Great thread, as a complete novice runner I now feel I understand shin splints more and hopefully can ease the niggle I have before it becomes a real problem.

Benji49

Great post. I searched "shin splints" and got this. My problem is shin splints while walking not running - but I've always walked heavy. No matter what I do I can't seem to change that.:frown:

Mcctin65

Thanks so much for posting this!

mrsredneckmorris

Bump:)

SMarie10

I'm not a runner, but was getting shin splits from fast walking. Thanks for the information.

3dogsrunning

You say to take Ibuprofen after a run. Would it be beneficial to take it before a run?

Taking Ibuprofen before a run can be quite hard on your stomach. The head of our running group, also a physician, discourages taking it before running.

ETA- also studies have shown it isn't effective and there are other possible side effects.

Here is an article on it
http://www.livestrong.com/article/515434-taking-advil-before-running/

gracibelle

this is awesome advice!

sarahkatara

thanks for this!