What a difference shoes can make. (shin splints)

blakemul

Started walking and jogging about two months ago so i bought a pair of reebok real flex shoes. When i first started i weighed 209 so i figured the extra weight was causing shin splints. I have shin splints so bad i could not run more than a half mile on the road. Since then i lost 35 pounds and the shin splints were worst than ever so i decided to try a pair of Nike lunarglide 3. Today was the first day to run in the new shoes but what a difference i actually ran intill my side was hurting and had to stop only because i was out of breath. Im not saying the shoes cured my shin splints or that the lunarglides are the best shoes ever, maybe the reebok real flex were just not the right shoe for me. Could be a combination of things but my shins felt really good today, felt so good that i sprinted the last hundred yards home something that would have nearly crippled me in pain before.

myjourney2

You do have to have good shoes for running. Sounds like you found the pair for you. I just got fitted at a running store and love my Brooks Glycerine 9 runners.

Daflechl

The real flex by Reebok was designed as a light weight trail shoe with a 4mm heel to toe offset. This shoe is not good for most people training and exercising to lose weight. the low offset added to the shoes minimal style allows for all of the impact to be sent into your body causing the shin splints and even knee problems. i would not recommend them. like she said the Brooks glycerin is a great shoe for neutral runners. the lunar glide is a step in the right direction if your a neutral runner. its still a light weight, only weigh a few more ounces than the real flex but it offers the lunarlon mid sole to absorb shock. if you have a high arch i would recommend the brooks glycerin or the ghost. if you have a flat foot try the Mizuno inspire. Its a high mileage trainer that offers a lot of technology to reduce injury and keep the energy from impact of your shins and knees.

dumoc

I can also attest to RealFlex causing shin splints. I haven't experienced shin splints since high school basketball (10 years). I've been running off and on for about 5 years, always with a more all around atheletic shoe. For some reason I fell in love with the Realflex, and one day when I saw them in the clearance bin, probably there for a good reason, I couldn't resist buying a pair. I ran about 30 miles on them over the course of 8-10 runs/workouts and I never ended a run without being in pain. The final run I had to give up because of my shins were hurting so bad. I'm not sure what shoe to get now, but I know these are getting thrown out.

martinh78

I have properly fitted running shoes but I still got shin splits. Thought maybe I had overdone it. Since the snow I've been running with no pain and really enjoying it/running further than ever.

I hope it is a coincidence and not the fact that the snow is making the ground softer...because when it thaws I want to keep running at the same rate! I never had the problem on the treadmill either, and that was with some cheap Nike trail shoes. I guess that suggests it's the pavements?

Sycoholic

I have the Realflex as well. It's more akin to a minimalist running style/requirement. I think they're fine for around the gym but doing serious running ends with me feeling like I shoulda gotten the plate number off the truck that hit me. I don't get shin splints but everything really gets achy. Ran 5 miles in my tired Adidas. Did it fast and felt fine. Ran the same 5 miles a week later in the Reebok and had to cut it short and walk some. Got home clutching my back. (it's a hill run so there is some heel striking required) Popped ibuprofin for 2 days before it subsided. I don't ever take drugs for discomfort but this was pretty bad. I'm not happy with those shoes at all, and I've logged probably close to 100 miles in em. I'll be getting some Brooks Ghost 5 this week.