Shin Splints

brandillyn

I have shin splints, but only in one leg! Should not do cardio until it's gone? How do I make it go away?

I'm so confused...:/

WingMan380

Same here! I have had them as long as I can remember.

irisia99

I used to get them really bad when I'd start training for half marathons. You can make them worse by continuing the exercise that's causing them (in my case running). Switch up what you're doing - I reduced running to 2 days/week and added spinning bc it really took the pressure off my lower legs. Ice for 20 min at night. I was told to freeze water in paper cups and rub the frozen discs into my shins every night. It worked for me! Also, you have to stretch your calves. Tight calf muscles pull on your shins (so I've read). After a few weeks, my legs got used to the running and the shin splits stopped. Good luck!

p3180jenn

I get them a lot from running. Typically, when I start getting shin splints, its a sign that the support in my sneakers is starting to wear. A lot of times sneakers look good outwardly but the inward support breaks down. I think someone once told me that a good rule of thumb is that sneakers need to be replaced every 6 months or so if you run an average of 6-10 miles a week but I'm certainly not an expert.

I agree with Irisia99 about switching up the exercise and icing but would also think about new sneakers if your shoes are older or appear to be wearing unevenly (which may mean you should visit a good running store to make sure you are buying the right type of shoe for your foot). You should also do a lot of stretching. The only stretch that really seems to help for me is a deep calf stretch, in which you stand with one leg in front of the other with only about 6-10 inches of space between your heel and your toes. Turn your back foot slightly away from your body so that your heel is turned slightly more outward than feels comfortable/natural (but doesn't hurt). Then lean bend your knees slightly and lean your weight onto your back foot pushing through that heel (almost as if you are sitting on an imaginary stool). You should feel a really deep stretch throughout your calf deep into your heel. Works great if you do it for a few days combined with the icing....

Good luck!!!

TKHappy

Oh those darn things!! I bought a new pair if running shoes and that was the reward I got!

What worked for me was R.I.C.E...Rest (I took off running outside a bit and stuck to low impact on the eliptical), Ice (about every few hours for 20 min), Compression (I actually went out and got a compression sleeve for shin splints, wore my first couple runs post injury), and Elevation (basically to stay off that leg)...I also did stretches.