Shin splint vs. Stress fracture... how to know the differenc

farfalledibaciodinotte

So for the last few days I've had some major shin splints... I've RICED them.. and thought they'd go away

not a chance in hell. So I stretched.. and got ready for the Turkey Trot 5k on thanksgiving.... even worse pain...

took naproxen.... no help...

then today.. being the idiot I am.. I attempted to run twice and also did a full workout at the gym (warm up, cardio, weights and cool down). ......

now I'm in excruciating pain and can't figure out if I've crossed the threshold of shin splint .. into stress fracture...


HELP?!? what to do?

mkallie

As far as I know, shin splints are baby stress fractures.

Sounds like you overdid it, bigtime. Do yourself a favor and take it easy so you can heal up, and when you're feeling better ease gently back into things.

I have to admit, when I started running I did this over and over and over again... it was so frustrating to me that my mind could go farther than my body (or my heart could go farther than my legs, not sure which). If you keep running on shin splints or fractures you are only going to take yourself out for longer though, so take it easy.

76tech

I'm no doc, but also no stranger to shin splints. Mine are pretty mild and knock me off of running for less than a week.

I would see a doctor to see if there's a fracture, and to make sure it's not compartment syndrome.

mathen2

Welcome to the world of Chronic Shin Splints. Well, I wish I could have warned you earlier. I tried to run through it and have made my shin splints worse.
Here are my personal recommendations:

1) Stay away from the treadmill or running/jogging for about a week. In the meantime, use an elliptical or something to get your cardio.
2)Stretch , stretch, stretch. Even use the foam roller ( it will be a lil painful) but it is good in the end.
3) If the pain is killing you and you can barely walk without wincing, take 400 mgs of ibuprofen and use Biofreeze and massage your shins.
Shin splints get worse in the beginning and at the end of the workout. I have shot mine so bad that one running daily is out of the question. I can only run twice a week before feeling it again.

Good Luck!!

kwamsat

I am in no way shape or form a doctor, but from playing college ball and just knowing what you are going through...the chances of stress fracture is probably slim...depending on your age and diet. I feel your pain regardless! It sucks!

I would reduce exercise for a few days and just rest. A shin splint from what I am told is the muscle pulling away from your shin bone. I look up some of my ailments on webMD or call up a good friend who is a health coach and not too far from her nursing degree. I would contact your doctor or the office at least and ask what their suggestion would be.

Over exercising or exercising vigorously after not using those muscles for a long time is usually what cause mine. Your body needs to get used to it again. Run ice cubes up and down them for 10 or 15 minutes, let 15 or so minutes pass and do that a couple of times. Stick to the stationary bike for awhile. Good luck! : )

Cerabell18

To be sure what you have, I would recommend seeing a doctor who specializes in sports injuries before doing another run.

I was experiencing the same thing and decided it was finally time to see a doctor. I've always had shin splints but I ice after each run, I do the necessary stretches and exercises to help reduce them. While training for my last race, the pain was constant after a run regardless of the steps I took. My shins would hurt sitting, standing, walking, running, basically all the time. I didn't have stress fractures but he told me that I could very well get them with the pain I was feeling.

He had me take 4 weeks completely off running. I was allowed to speed walk but even then was told that if I experienced any pain I should stop and switch to a different exercise such as swimming or biking. During the 4 weeks he increased my vitamin intake and told me to continue what I was doing as far as the exercises, icing and stretching.

My 4 weeks was up last Thursday and while I have lost a lot of my endurance my runs so far haven't been painful. Granted I decided to start over in my running, doing a very slow build up to make sure that my legs adjust properly.

I hated to be told that I couldn't run but it's better than being in pain all the time.

mathen2

Not sure if this will help, but I thought it was interesting. I always run with my heel hitting the ground first. Maybe that is causing shin splints. I am going to try this out.
http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/08/22/running-properly/#more-10407

76tech

The wrong shoes help me to get shin splints too...I have sort of flat feet, so running specialists assume I pronate. I actually supinate slightly when running. Motion control or stability shoes = pain. Minimalist shoes = happy.

mathen2

Unfortunately I got fitted for shoes too. Love the shoes as they relieve the stress my feet were exposed to, but my shins still act up:( My body cant keep up with me, I feel like an old woman.

jskaggs1971

I've had shin pain after running too, for a long time. One of the things that really helps me is to stretch both the tibialis muscle and my calves really well after running, and again, more gently a couple of times a day on off days. You see lots of people doing calf stretches after running, but not so many doing tibialis stretches. Google will show you some great stretches for the tibialis muscles, particularly the tibialis anterior.

If the pain is really persistent, then a trip to the sports doc is probably in order.

RetroGlitzDiva

Thanks for the link it was really informative and makes me hopeful I won't have to give up my new found love for running.

meerkat70

sorry for a mini thread hijack - is it safe to use the elliptical when you have shin splints? I assumed I had to avoid all weight bearing. But if I can use the elliptical, I'll be a much happier girl!