Shin Splints - Hot or Cold?

rheiah
rheiah Posts: 84
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm currently suffering from shin splints - very annoying as I'm doing the C25K program & had to put everything on hold.

Now I want to treat it correctly to get back to exercising normally as quickly as possible.

I've been to two separate pharmacies & got two different advices - polar opposites:

1) deep heat cream
2) freeze spray

Those who have suffered from shin splints before, can you advise me on which way worked best for you? Thanks.

I'm also resting my leg as much as possible and am wearing a bandage to support it.

Replies

  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    Shin splints are unavoidable, in my experience. Actually I just run through them. They start out in the first mile or two and eventually go away by mile 3 or 4. It's just building up those muscles. I would suggest maybe doing some walking as well (speed walking) on non-running days to help build them up. I never iced them or put heat on them. Just keep pushing on :)
  • sixisCHANGEDjk
    sixisCHANGEDjk Posts: 243
    Here's an article from Trail_Addict's profile that I believe will be helpful.

    Help with your shin splints - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/322021-help-with-your-shin-splints
  • chantelle149
    chantelle149 Posts: 22 Member
    I found cold has helped in the past. Also I would invest in some new shoes. That was my problem. New shoes and now more shine splints. Best of luck.
  • loserMC
    loserMC Posts: 12 Member
    Shin splints can become serious so I do not recommend running through them. Typically it is a too much/too fast issue or a shoe issue. I have had them twice (been a runner for 5 years) and both times the issue has been my shoes. Are you in the right shoes? Are they supportive enough? Be sure to rotate and switch out your shoes often as well.

    I would google shin splints stretches and use those as a guide. They should feel GREAT. If you have access to one I would use an elliptical or bike for the next week or so while you recover. As long as they aren't too bad you should recover quickly.

    Good luck and happy running!!
  • valenciajenn
    valenciajenn Posts: 1
    I would put an ice pack and then icy hot after you will feel better, I also put these little gel inserts in my shoes and it helped :)
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    shin splints happen to me when I switch surfaces that I am running on (cement in the summer/treadmill in winter) nothing you can really do other than just walk it out.
  • buglady0
    buglady0 Posts: 3 Member
    I've always iced mine after working out and taken ibuprofen to help reduce the inflammation. Stretching helps tremendously also. One other trick I've tried is using athletic tape, such as KT Tape to help support the area. This weekend I am trying compression socks to see if those work better (so I've read) in muscle recovery and preventing them to begin with. But I am like the person who posted prior, by about mile 3, mine get better or even disappear if I stop to stretch them and then keep going.
  • lynzy713
    lynzy713 Posts: 67 Member
    I've never tried hot or cold, just stretches. I had them for the first time in high school and then again a week ago. I've always been told to stand on the edge of a step with my toes and stretch downward with my heels...if that makes sense. Mine have only lasted about a week.
  • vick9180
    vick9180 Posts: 144 Member
    Go to the store and buy some little paper cups. Fill them about halfway full of water and stick them in the freezer. Once they're frozen, tear off the bottom half of the cup, grab and towel and massage the ice over your shin for 15 min or so. This is what athletic trainers recommend and has helped me with shin splints in the past. It's also ok to keep running on them...just cut back on mileage for a while until they feel better, and make sure you do the ice massage at least once a day, especially after you work out.

    After you've done the ice massage for a couple of days, then it's ok to warm up your shins prior to working out with a heating pad. You might check out some compression socks too...they're a little pricey, but I've heard they are really nice to put on your shins. You can find them at any running specialty store...and possibly a sporting goods store.
  • mattkellett
    mattkellett Posts: 82
    Cold, but before that you need to stretch your soleoue, and gastro's (shin muscles, yes you have muscles there, and calf's) you also need to strengthen your shin muscles.

    sit in a chair, throw a towel on a smooth surface, out your feet at the end of the towel and scrunch that towel all the wat to your toes.

    Ice, the crap out of your shins.

    hope this helps.

    Matt
  • petreebird
    petreebird Posts: 344 Member
    Here's an article from Trail_Addict's profile that I believe will be helpful.

    Help with your shin splints - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/322021-help-with-your-shin-splints

    This^^^ I was told to ice them, but only after I gave them time to heal up and got new fitted running shoes from a running store. They told me to ice them for 20 minutes after a run but not any other time.
  • rheiah
    rheiah Posts: 84
    Thanks so much for all your replies! I'm having new running shoes fitted at the end of this week so that should hopefully help.
    The specialist shop will also analyze my running technique, so they might be able to tell me something about that too.

    In the meantime I guess it's lots of resting & walking (at the moment also painful). And ice, definitely.
  • alisonst76
    alisonst76 Posts: 23
    Never 'run' through your shin splints. Listen to your body if it hurts something is wrong.
    Alternate heat and cold both will work. Take an anti-inflamatory like Aleve.

    Causes of shin splints (http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/ankle-achilles-shin-pain/shin-splints)
    The most common cause is inflammation of the periostium of the tibia (sheath surrounding the bone). Traction forces on the periosteum from the muscles of the lower leg cause shin pain and inflammation. This has lead to the use of terms such as Medial Tibial Traction Periostitis.

    Shin splints can be caused by a number of factors which are mainly biomechanical (abnormal movement patterns) and errors in training. Here are the most common causes:

    Overpronation of the feet
    Oversupination of the feet
    Inadequate footwear
    Increasing training too quickly
    Running on hard surfaces
    Decreased flexibility at the ankle joint

    I'm a runner and I occasionally get shin splints. When I do I know it is time to replace my shoes. Shoes are only good for about 400 - 600 miles or 1 year.
    Start off with new shoes, proper running shoes. Go somewhere that deals with runners and have your gait analysed. Most places don't charge for it. You may need to get custom orthotics.

    Thing is you need to take enough time off for it to completely heal depending on how bad they are now. Switch your running for swimming and spinning for a month or so. When you go back to running you can't start off where you left off, you'll have to work back up to it.

    Happy trails :) hope you heal up quickly
  • Donnacoach
    Donnacoach Posts: 540 Member
    The best thing really for shin splits is ice and rest. I am a soccer coach and a few of my girls go
    through the pain of having shin splints every year. I have them ice and rest then after the rest
    I tape them so they are able to play again.
  • Donnacoach
    Donnacoach Posts: 540 Member
    This is DEF. the right way to do it.
  • outlookmichael
    outlookmichael Posts: 11
    Rest is absolutely key for shin splints, as one of your other responders had suggested (tough for a runner though :)

    One thing that is essential is to strengthen a small muscle in your shin, Tibialis posterior. To do this use a treadmill, or sidewalk, and walk backwards at a slow pace. Do not push it. Try this 2-3 times per week with lots of rest from running. Try taking two weeks off.

    In order to keep your cardio and endurance up, add stregnth training in a mid rep, higher intensity circuit style workout. Meaning 3-6 exercies, no rest, 8-12 reps. Complete this and rest 90-120 sec. This will help maintain and even improve your endurance and cardio.
  • chrisbrown731135
    chrisbrown731135 Posts: 5
    Shin splints are unavoidable, in my experience. Actually I just run through them. They start out in the first mile or two and eventually go away by mile 3 or 4. It's just building up those muscles. I would suggest maybe doing some walking as well (speed walking) on non-running days to help build them up. I never iced them or put heat on them. Just keep pushing on :)

    Just found this thread looking for something else... have to say the above is pretty poor advice. I'm not sure if it was written in jest but if so it's a bit irresponsible.

    If you can 'run through' shin splints you either aren't experiencing shin splints or you are super human. I have experienced them and the pain was too great to run on. Even so, it can be tempting to have a go but you need to allow plenty of time for proper healing and avoid setbacks.

    It is not about 'building up those muscles' - shin splints relates to the connective tissues... stronger muscle could actually increase your suffering, plus bone damage can also occur.

    I found ice to be the best solution, not too sure about heat initially as that could aggrevate the inflamation? A freezing cold bath while very unpleasant (although the screaming from the bathroom does amuse my partner and scare the cat), does seem to work wonders.

    The best preventitive medicine I had, which was a cure for compartment syndrome mainly, is a pair of support shoes and some custom orthotics. Been heaps better since then.

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