C25K w/ Shin Splints Advice

shirley_beans

When running Week 8 Day 1 of C25K on Monday, I had what began as dull pain in my shins but became so intense I had to take multiple breaks to stretch and walk despite having completed the Week 7 runs with relative ease. After rearching online, I'm convinced that I was experiencing shin splints. The pain mostly subsided once I stopped running, but my shins are stiff in the morning with a dull pain. Since then I've been icing, elevating, taping them (I'm on my feet all day at work), taking Ibeuprofin, and have not been running. When I start running again I plan to do more stretching beforehand and a longer warm up walk than the program recommends. I have good running shoes that I recently purchased after having my gait analysis done at a running store. I have some questions:

1-Do you think Saturday is a good day to start running again?
2- Should I restart Week 8, start from the 2nd day, or go back a week?
3-Any other advice? In some places I've seen trying a slight incline on the treadmill and icing after every run to avoid them in the future.

Thanks!

shirley_beans

Really...nobody has advice?

Mokey41

Shin splints usually hurt all the time and can be quite painful. Usually doesn't happen suddenly after that many weeks of running. You shouldn't stretch before you run, you don't want to tear muscle fibers just warm up your muscles with some jumping jacks, skipping or just a brisk walk. Stretching is for after your muscles are already warm.

How long have you had your new shoes?

shirley_beans

It was only my second time running in the new shoes. They didn't hurt the first time, but do you think they could be the culprit? I'm debating going back to my old shoes, but at the same time want to see if the pain comes back in the new ones. confused

lkenn67

My husband had a similar problem and was unable to find a helpful solution except time. His started after a half-marathon, so he rested a couple of weeks, then slowlly built up his runs again. He would walk as a warm up, run, if it started to hurt go back to walking, run, walk based on the discomfort, then stretch after. I wouldn't push through the pain. I know it took a while before he was totally over it. I almost wonder if it was a stress fracture.

I know not much help. We had a hard time finding helpful info about what to do for shin splints.

Mokey41

Your new shoes may be causing you to land differently stressing your shin muscles. I'd be suspicious if it was only your second run with them.

NathanHaines

How do you land on your feet? Do you heel strike or run on your midfoot?