Trying to run.shoe help please! Shins on fire!

tyedyechick0930

Hi everyone, I have been walking/jogging about 4x a week. I'm trying to work my way up on the couck to 5K program. However, my shins are killing me! They hurt so bad! I'm asking Santa for some new shoes for Christmas, but I have no idea what shoes are best for running. I have never been able to run so I have no experience when it comes to running shoes. Also I'm sure it matters, but I don't have much of an arch to my foot, I'm very "flat footed" as my family says. Anyone have an shoe advice or recommendations? I'd really appreciate it! :flowerforyou:
Thanks so much, Charity :happy:

iWaffle

You need to go to a running store and have someone fit you with shoes that work for the way your feet strike the ground. You can't get good advice for this online.

Ice your shins after you run for 15 minutes. Helps me a lot with recovery when they're feeling bad. Draw the alphabet with your toes several times a day. It helps to strengthen the shin muscle. Take it easy on the speed. I don't want to discourage you but it took a few months for my shins to feel better after I started. Just bear with it, take breaks when you need to. If you can get proper shoes that could help a lot.

JustJennie1

What iWaffle said however make sure it is a RUNNING store that specializes in running shoes and caters to runners. Don't go to a generic sporting goods store like D!cks or Sports Authority because they know zilch about running shoes. Trust me. I went there and explained my issue to the "specialist" who made me run for like a second then threw me in a pair of Nike's that were for a neutral foot. Still didn't help my problem. Then on the recommendation of some running friends of mine I went to Fleet Feet which is a running store and they assessed me and now that is the only place that I will go for my shoes. All I have to do is bring in the old pair, tell them I want the same and they'll hook me up with whatever brand has the same stability as the ones that I currently am wearing.

Your feet will thank you for it in the long run. Believe me.

runningforlife68

I agree with iWaffle. It will save you a lot of pain and torture on your knees, shins, and feet!. You can also go to runnersworld.com and get a lot of shoe advice.

cwolfman13

You need to go to a running store and have someone fit you with shoes that work for the way your feet strike the ground. You can't get good advice for this online.

Ice your shins after you run for 15 minutes. Helps me a lot with recovery when they're feeling bad.

This is excellent advice! You have shin splints...I was a track sprinter back in highschool and got them all of the time. Also look up stretches for shin splints as well as the ice down. Are you giving yourself rest days? That helps as well. It also helps to run on softer surfaces like dirt or grass when you can...concrete is hard on everything.

Don't worry about the brand of shoe...find a store that caters specifically to runners...we have a great one here in town that will put you on a treadmill and take video to see what your feet are doing...then they will recommend the proper shoe and get you all measured up. Yes, a bit more expensive than just going to Footlocker and picking up a pair of sneakers...but if you are running and get serious about running, a good pair of shoes is priceless!

slavenberg

Agree with all of the above - if you determine you are a midfoot striker (like me) ... I wear Brooks Ghost model and love them. I switched from Nike Air Shocks and what an improvement. Tried Saucony's for awhile and while I liked the wider toe box, they did not withstand the pounding for as long as I would have liked. Brooks is my fave!!!!!! Good luck - and congratulations on working your way up to 5K.

LoraF83

Instead of asking for shoes, ask for a gift certificate to a running specialty store.

Or go get fitted and then have the store hold the shoes until your Santa can go buy them.

There is no right or wrong shoe for running....there are right and wrong shoes for your feet. All that matters is that the shoe works for you. And if you have arch problems, you definitely need to be fitted (and might need insoles too).


As far as the shin pain goes, ice it (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off). No heat. And don't push yourself too hard. It's definitely ok to take it slow when you're starting to run. But the right shoes will help with some of that pain.

Take a form clinic if you can or at least do some research on running form. Correct form makes a world of difference (as I recently learned!).

rkr22401

Take a form clinic if you can or at least do some research on running form. Correct form makes a world of difference (as I recently learned!).

^This. With me I learned I had been running incorrectly all my life. When I strike with my heel, with my feet forward of my hips, and my legs almost straight, it can lead to shin splints and knee pain. I have recently changed to striking mid foot, in a vertical line with my hips, knees slightly bent, and getting my heels closer to my butt on the back stroke. It's made a world of difference with my endurance and comfort. Your feet should move in an almost circular motion viewed from the side.

This is the style most people use naturally when sprinting. I try to focus on using sprinting form but at a slower pace.