Shin splints

kirianna55

I have the start of shin splints. I have been doing interval training (running and walking) a mile a day and doing strength training. Right now my shins are causing me to me in agonizing pain. I don't even know if I can do my strength training today. I know a need new shoes but other than shoes what are other ways to prevent the shin splints from getting worse and repairing themselves. Also what is a good pair of sneakers for a lowish cost. I have a VERY small budget to be able to get shoes.

Mokey41

Landing hard on your heels is one way to end up with shin splints. When you run take smaller steps and land midfoot. Cheap shoes & good shoes don't usually go together. You can go to a running store and get fitted so you see what type of shoes they recommend then shop around to see if you can find them on sale somewhere.

michelefletcher161

My shin splints also started this week on one leg. I switched cardio to the rowing machine and glider so that I still get the cardio but no impact. My trainer told me ice them, give them rest from running and I should be ok next week. I also bought some shin protection from the sport store. I feel better. The key is to run with heel then toe down. My form was bad before and new balance shoes are great for me. Hope this helps. I'm 44 and weighted in at 172 today but I'm only 5"4 so it's a lot of weight to be pounding on the treadmill I guess.

brower47

I have always had a problem with my calf muscle to shin muscle ratio (thanks Dad for the huge calves). I used to get shin splints before I started focusing on my shins some more. I mostly work out at home so I have various weights of kettle bells. I sit on my kitchen counter and do 3 sets of 15 reps of toe raises with the 15lb kettle bells hanging off my toes. I haven't had shin splints in over a decade since starting this.

This was suggested to me by a collegiate distance runner back in college.

kirianna55

Thanks. Any shoe advice?

ericarae33

Go get fitted at a running store, then look online, Zappos, Amazon, etc. Lots of ways to find shoes for less money but not cheaper quality

I still get them, ice and my trainer said to make sure to stretch my calf's because when they are tight its harder for shins??

seena511

ice all the time. in high school i also bought a couple braces that worked kind of like a tennis elbow brace - they keep constant pressure on the affected area and it helps with the pain. i still get them now (age 24) but they're not nearly as bad. stretch, ice, brace, and just keep running.

edit to add that i find shoes with better arch support to be helpful. you'll probably want a stiffer shoe that doesn't let your foot move around as much inside it to keep your muscles stabilized.

lindsyrox

When you run do NOT land on your heel and 'roll' forward onto your toes. Humans evolved to have heels for standing up, not running, running should be done by landing on your mid to fore foot. Having shoes with more/thicker padding will not help this. Like a previous poster stated, focus on taking shorter strides and NOT landing on your heels, at first your calf muscles may be sore but shin splints can lead to bone fractures where as muslce soreness will get better and your muslces will get stronger. whatever you do, dont continue running if your shins hurt, it will ONLY make it worse.

good luck.

crobl

Shin splints can be caused from a variety of reasons. Some of the most common are improper footware because of lack of support in the arch, sudden change in activity level, and change in surface (pavement to grass to wood floor, etc). Singling out your cause will help you to find a solution!

gleechick609

Please get fitted at a running store. Let someone measure you and watch you run to see if you pronate. Then they will direct you to your ideal shoe (stability, motion or neutral).

As for shin splints, you may have them anywhere from 4-12 weeks.. maybe even longer. I had shin splints for 3 months before the muscles in my calves got stronger.

For relief, you can ice and massage them. The woman at our running store told me to fill bathroom dixie cups half way, freeze them and then cut off the remaining, unused cup portion. Massage your shins with ice part.

Yes. This sucks and your shins hurt but all you can do is rest, ice and elevate! aim for 3 times a week to run/walk intervals. Your leg muscles will get stronger as you work at running.

Hope this helps!

Fr3shStrt

Are you running on a treadmill or outside? I used to get shin splints real bad in high school when I was running with the soccer team. Transitioning from the ground (grass & dirt) to the sidewalk as we did "perimeter" runs caused half of the team to have shin splints. So that is one thing to take into consideration.

As far as sneakers, if you go to a New Balance store the sales person will watch you as you walk to see what your stride is like and suggest sneakers based on that. You can also bring your current pair of shoes in and by looking at the tread they can tell if you aren't landing correctly with your foot. I would imagine a lot of stores offer the same service. That should help too.

lindsyrox

As far as shoe suggestions, it depends on how burly your feet are
i have feet that can take a beating so minimal shoes are awesome, but i know some people need arch support etc (i can't stand support ugh!).

New balance makes some nice and affordable running shoes that are pretty minimal which will encourage you to run correctly (by not pushing you towards heel striking).

I started running in nike free's 3 years ago, and got terrible shin splints, i since switched to minimalist shoes/barefoot and don't get shin splints at all anymore, even if I start running again after taking months off.

Overall do some research online from reputible sites and dont take online advice as the gospel, i see so much BAD advice on here its not even funny.

wvwinner

I used to get shin splints all the time. I went to get fitted for running shoes at the running room and for $200 dollars later I still had problems with shin splints. I tried numerous types of stretches and always iced and elevated my legs and I still had problems.

I decided to invest in compression socks thinking it was worth a shot and they actually worked. Mine were around $70 just for the socks but it was well worth it.

waldo56

When you run do NOT land on your heel and 'roll' forward onto your toes. Humans evolved to have heels for standing up, not running, running should be done by landing on your mid to fore foot. Having shoes with more/thicker padding will not help this. Like a previous poster stated, focus on taking shorter strides and NOT landing on your heels, at first your calf muscles may be sore but shin splints can lead to bone fractures where as muslce soreness will get better and your muslces will get stronger. whatever you do, dont continue running if your shins hurt, it will ONLY make it worse.

good luck.

This.

We are not made to heel strike physiologically (shin splints are a heel striker phenomenon for the most part). Running doesn't require proper special shoes. Proper special running shoes only are needed if your form is no good. The entire concept of pronation only applies to heel strikers. Whether you wear shoes or not should make no difference in your running form. If you can't run barefoot without changing your running form, your running form sucks.

jeffrodgers1

Only have a couple of minutes...Shin Splints... Yuck! Pain is your bodies way of telling you something is wrong...

Usually caused by poor footwear, overusage or a mechanical flaw in your form.

1. Get properly fitted shoes... No not those cheepie W*&mart brand ones and not by some pimply faced kid in high school. Go to someone who is experienced and trained in gait analysis. I go to Running Room here... I hear decent things about Fleet Feet and RoadRunner in the US.
2. Shoes have a life span... if they have over 500 miles... they are dead. Imagine if you were slammed into the pavement a couple of thousand times a mile... how much support do you think you'd be able to offer? Shoes are no different and once they are no longer supporting your foot they can lead to issues. Bottom line is they wear out and can lead to injuries.
3. Overusage... too much too fast. Running is about adaptation. No one just wakes up one morning, decides to take up running and runs a full marathon the next day. Adaptation takes time. Only ever increase your mileage by about 10% per week. To exceed that leads to shin splints and eventually stress fractures. For anyone starting a running program, I usually suggest alternating walking and running days. Walking helps build muscles complimentary to running.
4. Get a proper gait analysis by a physio therapist or sports MD. They will look at the way you run, analyze it and see where the problem comes in... Often flaws in our form, lead to injury. They can diagnose and correct this.
5. Take a step back and reduce your workouts to a less painful point in time. Rest is not a dirty word either.

For treatment -> I'd suggest doing an ice massage 3-4 times per day (10-15 minutes) with some gentle stretching. What helped me was doing single leg calf raises and core stability work. I do 100 calf raises per day (NB - build to it... not all at once) per leg and about 10-15 minutes of core work as well. Strengthening the muscles, reduces the likelyhood of injury. If the symptoms persist... see a physiotherapist.

PS> I do not recommend people use "Runners Beans" aka Advil, Tylenol etc... swelling is an important part of the healing process. Runners Beans reduce the amount of swelling you are limiting your bodies ability to heal, you are also masking pain which is what tells you that you are injured.

Hope that helps!

iWaffle

Great advice here from everyone. I think that's all the information you need to get over these.

1. Get fitted for some good shoes and try not to land on your heel.
2. Don't increase your mileage/speed too much at a time
3. Do some shin strength exercises. (Toe raises, draw the alphabet with your toes)
4. Stretch your calves well.
5. Ice your shins after you run for 15 - 20 minutes.
6. Take a break if it hurts when you run.

The other thing I can tell you that will help a lot is to stay off the concrete if you can. A treadmill, a dirt road or trail, grass will be much easier on your lower legs than the concrete. I'm going to do about 100 miles this month and about 75 of those miles are on a hard packed dirt road. It makes a huge difference. I still get slightly sore shins if I do a 10 mile run on concrete but that dirt road I can do day after day with no symptoms at all.

kirianna55

I have relatively flat feet so I have arch supports but I don't have any good sneakers. I also tend to walk on the inside of my shoes and wear off the inside heel. I am running outside around the block in my neighborhood. If i could afford it, I would join a gym. However, until I get employment, I cant do that. I don't have a lot of room in the house I am at to exercise in. My exercise area is currently filled with model train crap. When I run I tend to land on the front part/middle part of my foot then the heel. Shoes normally dont last me more than two months. I am trying to work up my running. I run about 3-4 blocks of my entire exercise, but it is as fast as I can. The rest of it is speed walking

DP325i

I've been dealing with realllllllllllly bad shin splints for a while, my saving grace thus far, was toe taps, and RockTape (keniesology tape)

With the toe taps i do 3 sets of 50, 1 set toes pointed forward, one set left, one right, that way it targets each part of the muscle.
When your shins get stronger from toe taps, I would suggest tieing a resistanceband around the middle of your foot (in shoe) and anchoring it under something like a table leg and pull the band towards you with your toes only. cheaper than weights and just as effective.

Also make sure youre not heel striking when you run, should land on the ball of your foot and "spring" forward, saves shock on your heels and thus your shins.

Forgot to add, your calves consist of two muscle groups, the larger one, Soleus, is the main muscle that needs to be streched when concerning shin splints, and the Gastrocnemius, the "upper" bulky muscle. make sure you're doing a warmup, then i recomend a foam roller on your calves, then strech.

For treatment, follow R.I.C.E.
Rest - allow yourself some recovery time to avoid further injury
Ice - Ice the shin for around 20 minutes at a time
Compress - I recommend compression sleeves for the calves, they help to reduce some of the pain
Elevate - Elevate your shins above heart level to avoid blood rushing to the shins causing even more pain

Doodlewhopper

Go get fitted at a running store, then look online, Zappos, Amazon, etc. Lots of ways to find shoes for less money but not cheaper quality

I still get them, ice and my trainer said to make sure to stretch my calf's because when they are tight its harder for shins??

Please reconsider this practice. I am not affiliated with any retail merchants, but we need to support our local merchants or we will lose them. I avoid the big box stores and always try to keep my dollars within my local community. It does pay off.

OP I dont feel like getting into a shoe debate, but if you want to discuss this subject more, feel free to inbox me. I do suggest that you get a vibrator massager for your legs, calfs, feet and shins. Shin splints are inflammation of the tendons that anchor your muscles & tendons have limited blood supply and they take longer to heal. Before and after running loosen em up and get the blood flowing with the vibrator massager..

Shin splints are bascially a result of what is called the terrible toos....too much, too long, too hard.

Ive run for years & have had a terrible history with shin splints until I learned the value of the vibrator massager. Take a break, shin splints can take time and if you jump back on em too soon, it will getcha again.

Doodlewhopper

As far as shoe suggestions, it depends on how burly your feet are
i have feet that can take a beating so minimal shoes are awesome, but i know some people need arch support etc (i can't stand support ugh!).

New balance makes some nice and affordable running shoes that are pretty minimal which will encourage you to run correctly (by not pushing you towards heel striking).

I started running in nike free's 3 years ago, and got terrible shin splints, i since switched to minimalist shoes/barefoot and don't get shin splints at all anymore, even if I start running again after taking months off.

Overall do some research online from reputible sites and dont take online advice as the gospel, i see so much BAD advice on here its not even funny.

^^^^This +100. I had to take two years off due to thyroid issues & dreaded the thought of having to fight shin splints again. I bought the New Balance Minimus shoes and cant believe I havent had one shin tweak! My feet did ached for a few days but within 2 weeks all good. I currently weigh 238 lbs.

BTW Support shoes only serve to weaken the feet. The arch is suppose to flex like the leaf spring of a car, not forced to remain rigid by arch support. Running either barefooted or with minimalist shoes will allow the foot to flex and get stronger & healthier.

And you are right; there is a lot of bad advice on this thread.

bagsrpacked

My trainer advises me to ice after a workout if I feel them starting - another poster mentioned doing kettlebell lifts - h did toe raises (sitting) with 5 pound ankle weights around the balls of my feet - again, the muscles are underdeveloped and that is part of what causes the shin splints. The way you land is the other part - I got fitted at a running store where they watched me on a treadmill and discussed issues I have while training and the shoes I have are amazing - I tend to land hard on my heels - these help me land midfoot and roll forward - in other words, they help prevent the motion that causes the shin splints. Between these 3 things, I have had no shin splints at all this month and have been training heavily - running intervals and walking up to 3.5 miles per day to get ready for a race.

If you don't have a personal trainer, and who can afford one all the time, then get a consultation with one at a health club - a lot of clubs will give you a reduced cost initial consultation (or even a free one) in hopes of selling you a package. Also, go to a local running store and get fitted - talk to the trainer on staff there, too - they are well trained to help people enjoy the sport and avoid injury.

Good luck!

Rage_Phish

Go get fitted at a running store, then look online, Zappos, Amazon, etc. Lots of ways to find shoes for less money but not cheaper quality

I still get them, ice and my trainer said to make sure to stretch my calf's because when they are tight its harder for shins??

This advice is a real **** move. Pretty much saying go find some hard working independent shop, let them take care of you and work to get you the right product, then don't give them the sale.

DP325i

As far as shoe suggestions, it depends on how burly your feet are
i have feet that can take a beating so minimal shoes are awesome, but i know some people need arch support etc (i can't stand support ugh!).

New balance makes some nice and affordable running shoes that are pretty minimal which will encourage you to run correctly (by not pushing you towards heel striking).

I started running in nike free's 3 years ago, and got terrible shin splints, i since switched to minimalist shoes/barefoot and don't get shin splints at all anymore, even if I start running again after taking months off.

Overall do some research online from reputible sites and dont take online advice as the gospel, i see so much BAD advice on here its not even funny.

^^^^This +100. I had to take two years off due to thyroid issues & dreaded the thought of having to fight shin splints again. I bought the New Balance Minimus shoes and cant believe I havent had one shin tweak! My feet did ached for a few days but within 2 weeks all good. I currently weigh 238 lbs.

BTW Support shoes only serve to weaken the feet. The arch is suppose to flex like the leaf spring of a car, not forced to remain rigid by arch support. Running either barefooted or with minimalist shoes will allow the foot to flex and get stronger & healthier.

And you are right; there is a lot of bad advice on this thread.

which is why a lot of pro runners that i know do have some arch support. if your arch is normal then yes its supposed to flex, but if you have an incredibly high arch (such as myself) i do need it, recommended by a sports M.D. and my chiropractor, proper arch support can improve gait and rolling your ankles inward.

5auce

I had to get arch support inserts for my cheap-o shoes, helped out a lot.

hestia1986

I managed to get my shin splints when I made a 'smart' decision to run 8km instead of the normal 4... it was bad then, really bad.
But now I am afraid I have made them chronic .. because they keep returning without any running at all. All it took the last time was some intensive walking

Doodlewhopper

As far as shoe suggestions, it depends on how burly your feet are
i have feet that can take a beating so minimal shoes are awesome, but i know some people need arch support etc (i can't stand support ugh!).

New balance makes some nice and affordable running shoes that are pretty minimal which will encourage you to run correctly (by not pushing you towards heel striking).

I started running in nike free's 3 years ago, and got terrible shin splints, i since switched to minimalist shoes/barefoot and don't get shin splints at all anymore, even if I start running again after taking months off.

Overall do some research online from reputible sites and dont take online advice as the gospel, i see so much BAD advice on here its not even funny.

^^^^This +100. I had to take two years off due to thyroid issues & dreaded the thought of having to fight shin splints again. I bought the New Balance Minimus shoes and cant believe I havent had one shin tweak! My feet did ached for a few days but within 2 weeks all good. I currently weigh 238 lbs.

BTW Support shoes only serve to weaken the feet. The arch is suppose to flex like the leaf spring of a car, not forced to remain rigid by arch support. Running either barefooted or with minimalist shoes will allow the foot to flex and get stronger & healthier.

And you are right; there is a lot of bad advice on this thread.

which is why a lot of pro runners that i know do have some arch support. if your arch is normal then yes its supposed to flex, but if you have an incredibly high arch (such as myself) i do need it, recommended by a sports M.D. and my chiropractor, proper arch support can improve gait and rolling your ankles inward.

Ive heard all this before and as I understand it, there has been no scientific studies to support what you are repeating. The people who are making money on poor foot health are the podiatrists, chiropractors, sports doctors and the shoe manufacturers. I can see them not wanting to look real hard at an issue that would impact their revenue.

And on the subject of professional runners, who pays them? Of course we all know, the shoe companies!

We've been told too much pronation or supination is bad and the foot needs to be stabilized so it doesnt move. But in reality the foot is suppose to be moving and flexing in order to absorb shock. Many of today's runners are addicted to engineered running shoes & not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to strengthen the foot.


This video may interest you, if not, at least skip to 4:30 and listen to the end. Your problem is probably not that you have high arches, but that you have weak arches. Hardly anyone needs corrective footwear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JWUhW5yRdI

cheri0627

I have had horrible shin splints most of my life. Things have gotten a lot better for me, although if I do too much, I do get them now and again. But here are the things that helped me get over it.

First, balanced leg muscles. I had too much calf and not enough shin. The whole spelling the alphabet with the toes and flexing my feet up and down (making sure you're feeling it in the muscles on the shin side, not just in your calves) helped. I never tried this with weight, but I imagine it would be a great idea.

Second, shoes that work for you. For me, I have high arches but I'm also an overpronator, which is a strange combination. I tried shoes for the arches, I tried shoes for the overpronation, in the end, I found that minimalist shoes work best for me. I'm now wearing New Balance Minimus trail runners for my running.

Third, midfoot strike when running. Huge difference. For me, this is where the minimalist shoes came in, because I found it really helped me do this, instead of heel strike.

Fourth, KT Tape. This was the final thing I needed. My shins had gotten a lot better, but I still wasn't able to do much. A friend recommended it. No, it's not cheap, but get the pro stuff and it will last almost a week if applied carefully and correctly. (I use a hair drier to get good heat into it so it sticks well.) I rarely use it anymore, but it was the last piece I think I needed for things to heal properly. I only do if I'm running longer distances, doing a lot of jump rope, or if I'm going to an agility class because the hard running and direction changing sometimes irritates it.

Always, If you have shin pain, ICE ICE ICE and take a few days off.

DP325i

Fourth, KT Tape. This was the final thing I needed. My shins had gotten a lot better, but I still wasn't able to do much. A friend recommended it. No, it's not cheap, but get the pro stuff and it will last almost a week if applied carefully and correctly. (I use a hair drier to get good heat into it so it sticks well.) I rarely use it anymore, but it was the last piece I think I needed for things to heal properly. I only do if I'm running longer distances, doing a lot of jump rope, or if I'm going to an agility class because the hard running and direction changing sometimes irritates it.

Always, If you have shin pain, ICE ICE ICE and take a few days off.

Keniesology tape - yes - kt tape - no, i've spent around $60 on KT only to have to retape every day for it to begin peeling off due to sub par adhesive (yes i've used the "Pro" also and yes i applied it correctly) Best tape I've used is RockTape - stays on 5-7 days and even then is a pain to take off.

kirianna55

Thanks all. I will look into new shoes. I am really hoping to get something good. I cant afford professional shoes that are super expensive as I only made $700 dollars last year. I have been looking for work since July and now I am also trying to get back into school. I am currently exercising my shins using little 1 lb hand weights on each foot. They are the kind that runners use that wrap around your hand so they fit my feet perfectly.