shin splints - HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPPPP

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darman
darman Posts: 269
in Fitness and Exercise
Calling all MFP runners/walkers - i am dying from shin splints! last night went for my run and thought i was going to die - kept switching back and forth running/walking and nothing seemed to help - when i finished my legs hurt worse than they ever have - i started training for 1/2 marathon a week ago and all has been well until last night
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  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
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    Shin splints have many causes so the first thing to do right now is:
    1) Ice your shins after exercise
    2) Take ibuprofen if you can to help with discomfort
    3) Stretch the calf muscle and do a bent knee calf stretch as well to stretch the deep muscle of the calf)


    Now to try to help with exercise:
    1) Make sure the shoes are proper for your feet. If you haven't already, go to a good running store and get fitted by someone who can analyze your gait and pick the best shoe for you
    2) Warm up really well before running--include ankle circles to help warm up the muscle in the front of the shin
    3) Run on softer surfaces (avoid sidewalks and road if possible)
    4) You can purchase a calf sleeve (compression sleeve) that some people swear by (but that varies so it may or may not do much)
    5) If you have flat feet, you may want to try orthotics
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
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    tried half of those things and they didnt help
  • OkieTink
    OkieTink Posts: 285 Member
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    1) Make sure the shoes are proper for your feet. If you haven't already, go to a good running store and get fitted by someone who can analyze your gait and pick the best shoe for you
    2) Warm up really well before running--include ankle circles to help warm up the muscle in the front of the shin
    3) Run on softer surfaces (avoid sidewalks and road if possible)
    4) You can purchase a calf sleeve (compression sleeve) that some people swear by (but that varies so it may or may not do much)
    5) If you have flat feet, you may want to try orthotics

    ...and too much, too soon will cause them too. I've read no more than a 10% increase in your distance weekly.
  • kerriotto
    kerriotto Posts: 93
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    You could try using a foam roller, too. That helped me in the past.
  • nanook37
    nanook37 Posts: 64 Member
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    I've had shin splint problems in the past and a couple of the things listed helped a bit, but what got me over them was a change in shoes to a minimalist running shoe. I first tried a high level of support pronated show which is what the running store recommended after watching my gate on a treadmill but those were even worse so I went the other way add got some Saucony Hattoris and I haven't had a problem since -

    This worked for me... your mileage may different I would try a couple different pairs of shoes on a treadmill and see if any of them are better...
  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
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    tried half of those things and they didnt help

    Those were basic tips. Since they are caused by so many different things you need to figure out what is the problem. If there is a muscle imbalance, nothing is going to stop them until you fix the cause. You also have to rule out other things that it could be--exercise induced compartment syndrome, stress fracture (just to name a couple). If you have shin splints and the general treatment is not working, go to a Dr.
  • Mathguy1
    Mathguy1 Posts: 207 Member
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    Shin splints have many causes so the first thing to do right now is:
    1) Ice your shins after exercise
    2) Take ibuprofen if you can to help with discomfort
    3) Stretch the calf muscle and do a bent knee calf stretch as well to stretch the deep muscle of the calf)


    Now to try to help with exercise:
    1) Make sure the shoes are proper for your feet. If you haven't already, go to a good running store and get fitted by someone who can analyze your gait and pick the best shoe for you
    2) Warm up really well before running--include ankle circles to help warm up the muscle in the front of the shin
    3) Run on softer surfaces (avoid sidewalks and road if possible)
    4) You can purchase a calf sleeve (compression sleeve) that some people swear by (but that varies so it may or may not do much)
    5) If you have flat feet, you may want to try orthotics

    In addition to these items, I recommend changing the incline of your treadmill (if you are using one). Also, do you take a recommended week off from training every once in a while? Most fitness people recommend taking a week off from exercising every 4-10 weeks. If all you do is run, I recommend taking a week off every 4-5 weeks. If you run 2-3x week and lift 2-3x week, I recommend taking a week off every 8-10 weeks (Again, everyone is different. What works for one, doesn't necessarily work for all).

    Shin splints do not go away without rest. After taking a week off, I recommend doing something differently so they dont return.

    When I got them, I took a week off from exercising. Then, when I returned, for cardio I rode the stationary bike for a couple of weeks. Then, when I returned to the treadmill, I decreased my intensity of my runs and added a slight incline. Thankfully, they havent returned (also, I take a week off from exercising every 9-10 weeks as I lift 3x week and run/walk 3x week).
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
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    rotate your foot around in 360 ( ankle circles) , stretching the front of your shin, before and after exercise, helps alot
  • Jul158
    Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
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    Pro Compression socks have helped me with shin splints! I'm also a big advocate of foam rolling all over.
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,638 Member
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    Rest until they are better
    Get new shoes
    Stretch before and after.

    I had the same problem when I first started running and those 3 things helped me so much, I haven't gotten them again in 2 years!
  • tturley
    tturley Posts: 73 Member
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    I battled shin splints for several months. I subscribe to the Chi Running techniques. I went back to the basic and my very next run was pain free. I found that I was pushing off with my toes.

    http://www.chirunning.com/
  • daveymac1
    daveymac1 Posts: 784 Member
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    I get them bad as well. I also have pretty flat feet. I don't know if that's your problem. I had to purchase some new shoes, and some arch support. It does help!!
  • courtneylee31
    courtneylee31 Posts: 178 Member
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    You could try using a foam roller, too. That helped me in the past.

    I agree, I went to my citys running store and got the thing called "the stick" made for shin splints. Tape your shins also, it helps. I had shin splints that kept me up at night, they were so awful, now I'm fine.
  • tiffanyheth
    tiffanyheth Posts: 510 Member
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    runnersworld.com has great stretches for those! and actually has exercises for all problems. I use to get those and started doing this one extra stretch I saw on there and it eliminated them all together!
  • courtneylee31
    courtneylee31 Posts: 178 Member
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    I battled shin splints for several months. I subscribe to the Chi Running techniques. I went back to the basic and my very next run was pain free. I found that I was pushing off with my toes.

    http://www.chirunning.com/

    I did this as well, once I changed the way I run (went from toe stricking to heal stricking), the splints started to go away
  • Coltsman4ever
    Coltsman4ever Posts: 602 Member
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    One of the dreaded side affects from starting a new walking or running routine is shin splints. The pain down the outside of your lower leg may be caused by a variety of issues, but the calf muscle tends to get stronger before the muscles on the front of the shin. While stretching the calves is intuitive post run, strengthening the opposing muscles on the front of the shin is not. A simple exercise to do just that is heel walks.

    The exercise name describes the action quite well. Walk about 20 yards on your heels with toes lifted off the ground. Take small steps and keep your toes, even though they are up off the ground, pointed forward (don't let your toes rotate outward). You can do this exercise barefoot or in your sneakers.


    http://www.fitsugar.com/Avoid-Shin-Splints-Heel-Walks-1681971
  • Discoveri
    Discoveri Posts: 435 Member
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    Give this a try. It really helped me. http://gizmodo.com/5902699/banish-shin-splints-forever-with-one-magical-exercise
  • tmyuille
    tmyuille Posts: 6
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    New shoes buddy! I got shin splints so bad it gave me stress fractures! I didnt believe my trainer when he said change my shoes because they were still in good shape, but lo and behold! Even if they look good and feel good when you walk, shoes older than 6 months need to be changed! Especially if you use them for running and exercise!
  • runrockclimb
    runrockclimb Posts: 124
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    Some of it is probably your body adjusting to the change in volume/type of training, I had trouble with my calves, so be smart, but give it time too, see if it works itself out.

    Run your thumb over the sore spots press as hard as you can stand, stretch out the shin and the calf as well, you just point your toe to the ground and give it a little push, you'll feel it real quick. Ice and ibuprofen too. Work on strengthening that part of your leg, toe raises, and another one that helps is lay a towel out on the floor and use your toes to scrunch it up. There are other variations that are the same idea as well.

    I would suggest different shoes as well, I know someone else mentioned that, and not running in the same pair of shoes for every run. Shoes need 24 hours of rest to recover their shape/padding and your feet need that break from them too. I currently have four pairs of shoes I work between, but two would help a lot. Plus it helps build strength in different muscles especially if you have a minimalist pair, and a stability pair.
  • hollyjjohnson
    hollyjjohnson Posts: 13 Member
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    Another thing to look at -- in addition to all of the really good advice above (foam roller, scheduled rest, running heel toe, strengthening the muscles in your shin, etc)-- is to shorten your running stride length. Longer strides increase the stress/strain on your shins and simply taking shorter steps alleviates that. Treadmill running can really mess up your stride length, so if you can find a place to run that's not on a treadmill (yet is still easy on your joints), you'll be able to develop the shorter stride in no time. Good luck.

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