Stress Fractures or just sore muscles?

bkandisjj29

I have been working out on an elliptical machine for the last two months, and yesterday it was so nice I decided to try out running on a track. I would run an 1/8 of a mile, walk an 1/8 of a mile, alternating. I only did one mile, and felt good, just didn't have time to keep going. This morning when I woke up, the fronts of my legs are hurting so bad. I remember in high school I got stress fractures one year from basketball. I am not even really sure if that is what these are... but how do I make this better and prevent them? I want to work out today! But I also don't want to make them worse.

CleanCarol

Based on what I know from others who have had stress fractures, I'm pretty sure you would have felt it while running...however, if the pain is the same tomorrow, I would consult a doctor just to be sure.

Pizzagirl50

If it's shin splints (which feel like stress fractures) you have to slow the running down to a slow jog until the muscles get stronger. My sore shins were from tight calves. A lot of stretching, icing, ibuprofen and towel exercises helped. Elliptical is a great low impact cardio workout that will help also if you keep doing it and start running only a few days a week. As you gradually get stronger the runs can get more frequent and longer. My shins were sore for about 2 weeks :sad:

Get a towel and use your toes to pull towel forward (scrunch it) towards you. A few min of this every night while watching tv or on this site should help alleviate symptoms quickly. I'm not a doctor but have been sufferering for months and finally decided to quit being stubborn and seek advice.

bkandisjj29

Thank you!

IronSmasher

Shin splints would be my first guess too

nikrit84

I had the same problem when I first started working out. I could not even jog for 2 minutes because they would hurt. They sound like shin splints. They do not hurt me when I am on the eliptical, but as soon as I hit the treadmill...they did. they have pretty much gone away. I iced them everynight, did the stretches where you bend your toes up for 5 min at a time, and I purchased a good pair of running shoes. And all of that combined worked! Best of luck to you, They are the worst!!

TheYankeeBelle

If it's shin splints (which feel like stress fractures) you have to slow the running down to a slow jog until the muscles get stronger. My sore shins were from tight calves. A lot of stretching, icing, ibuprofen and towel exercises helped. Elliptical is a great low impact cardio workout that will help also if you keep doing it and start running only a few days a week. As you gradually get stronger the runs can get more frequent and longer. My shins were sore for about 2 weeks :sad:

Get a towel and use your toes to pull towel forward (scrunch it) towards you. A few min of this every night while watching tv or on this site should help alleviate symptoms quickly. I'm not a doctor but have been sufferering for months and finally decided to quit being stubborn and seek advice.

^^^This. Also, you can help your shins the next time you run by getting some sports tape (and sports wrap) which you should be able to find at your local drug store, and wrap it horizontally around your calf/shin area that gets sore. The pain is the muscle tissue tearing from the tendon and bone....the wrap will help minimize that.

Good luck!

hubkal

pain is gain!! Shin splints I would say for sure!

Each time we do something different our muscles hurt as they are "shocked". But that is good!! it is making them stronger! stay away from the ibuprofen and the like, this stops your bodies natural healing process! the muscles need to get the fluid and other healing chemicals down there to help build those muscles. first your muscles "tear" a bit from the strain and then our bodies natural chemicals go down there to get the damaged tissue away and replace it with new stronger tissue! Each time you go out you are making that tissue stronger! for the next 4-5 days take it easy, I agree with the poster that said to go a bit slower. You are not racing anyone, just run naturally and smoothly. Get used to the way your feet hit the ground and dont "bang" out those miles, jog them! enjoy it! you are making yourself so much better with each step!

tigersword

IMO, that's what's wrong with the elliptical, it's like weight machines vs free weights. Can you work out on an elliptical? Yes, but it does not train your body for any real life activity, so while you burn some calories, and work your cardio system, it doesn't translate into real world activities.

Now that I'm done ranting, it sounds like shin splints, and you've been given good advice to treat them, with stretching, but they will never go away until you strengthen the shin muscles, as they are basically caused by a muscle imbalance, your calves are stronger than your shins, so your shins give out long before your calves do, which is what causes them to hurt so much.

Personally I'd suggest dropping the elliptical completely (I know, I'm biased) and stick to running. What I would suggest is to double your recovery period, so if you run 1/8 mile, walk for 1/4. Running requires your shin muscles in a way that neither walking nor the elliptical will use.

IronSmasher

I agree with all of the above, with a slight twist on the last paragraph.

Obviously, seek medical help. I didn't get much support unfortunately, and due to being required to run for my job, I was running the point of injury, and then having to rest in order to recover repeatedly.

Depending on if you've run to the point where you are a little sore afterwards, or if you are at the stage where adopting a jogging gait causes immediate pain, your doctor/physio may well tell you to drop the running altogether now.

What Tigersword said about the difference running makes is important. If your medical advice tells you to stop running, be good and pick a low impact option. Then slowly build up your running. If you end up with shin splits again, you've gone too far, too fast.

Stopping beginner runners doing too much seems to be the main problem as they get hooked so easily.

chevy88grl

IMO, that's what's wrong with the elliptical, it's like weight machines vs free weights. Can you work out on an elliptical? Yes, but it does not train your body for any real life activity, so while you burn some calories, and work your cardio system, it doesn't translate into real world activities.

Now that I'm done ranting, it sounds like shin splints, and you've been given good advice to treat them, with stretching, but they will never go away until you strengthen the shin muscles, as they are basically caused by a muscle imbalance, your calves are stronger than your shins, so your shins give out long before your calves do, which is what causes them to hurt so much.

Personally I'd suggest dropping the elliptical completely (I know, I'm biased) and stick to running. What I would suggest is to double your recovery period, so if you run 1/8 mile, walk for 1/4. Running requires your shin muscles in a way that neither walking nor the elliptical will use.

Not everyone can workout in the "real world". Some of us have reasons why we use the equipment at the gym. Don't bash machines that have their place. There's NO way I will ever be able to run outside. I have steel rods in my spine and a bulging disc in my lower spine from a fall. I've been told by my orthopedic surgeon to NEVER, EVER run outside. That the ground, unlike the base on a treadmill, doesn't give and it is too much stress and strain on my spine. Would it be better for me to just give up exercising all together because I can't do it in the "real world"? Absolutely not. Machines have their place - and I think you do a disservice to people when you rant and bash them. Many people workout with them and have a ton of success to show for it.

I also use the machines at the gym vs the free weights for the exact same reasons. I need the stability the machines offer me due to the issues with my body. Am I not working out in the "real world" because my body NEEDS these? Absolutely not. My workout is just as good as your workout.

People need to stop thinking their way is the best way for everyone else too. If it works for you, great. But, there's no way in heck I'm going to go against my doctor's orders and risk another back surgery simply because someone says what I do doesn't prepare me for real life activity. That is just ridiculous.

dsjohndrow

I had them. Ouch! The terms seem interchangeable, even with the doctors. If you ice the joint after running for 20 minutes and you feel better, it is probably muscle pain. If you put heat on it and it feel better (if it still sore after 24 hours) it is probably muscle pain. If it avoids both of those remedies, it is probably some sort of bone edema or stress fracture.

Slow the running down. Do it 2 days a week until it feels fine. If you can't walk it, don't run it. Even if it takes 2 months to build up, you can avoid injuries.

if you do have injuries or pain, remember RICE Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Thar is for soft tissue pain. Bone pain is a matter of healing and take 4-6 weeks.

Be sure to warm up - I suggest 5 minutes of walking, then stretch. Then do your run. If you are doing C25K or something like that, for some of us it can take longer then a few months. it took me three after knee surgery.

Good luck!

Loves418

I had shin splints but on the side not in the front. I was told to take a rolling pin to it and roll it up and down to help..I laughed at it but it worked. Now my newest injury is a heel spur which WILL not go away no matter how I try to ice it, roll a towel at the toes, stretch it...even got custom shoe inserts and some shots..It is keeping me from using the treadmill which I love so much. Hate all these injuries.

IronSmasher

I had shin splints but on the side not in the front. I was told to take a rolling pin to it and roll it up and down to help..I laughed at it but it worked. Now my newest injury is a heel spur which WILL not go away no matter how I try to ice it, roll a towel at the toes, stretch it...even got custom shoe inserts and some shots..It is keeping me from using the treadmill which I love so much. Hate all these injuries.

It probably would've been easier for you to believe if they had called it self myofascial release/massage.

Hoppymom

I had shin splints but on the side not in the front. I was told to take a rolling pin to it and roll it up and down to help..I laughed at it but it worked. Now my newest injury is a heel spur which WILL not go away no matter how I try to ice it, roll a towel at the toes, stretch it...even got custom shoe inserts and some shots..It is keeping me from using the treadmill which I love so much. Hate all these injuries.

I went to Physical Therapy and had ultrasound and a weird "band-aid" thing with vingar and electro stim. It worked on a heel spur as well as a bone spur just below my knee. Painless and quick.