All I want to do is run....but now I hurt myself :(
BrittanyAnnL
Posts: 140
First of all let me say that I understand that I should let my leg rest and heal.... with that being said..
I noticed a dull ache a few inches above my ankle on the inside of my leg which I assume is the Tibia a few days ago. I have had shin splints for the majority of the last 4 months because I have been running, 4-5 times a week. I love running and it has gotten me into really great shape. I started slow and have worked my way up to running 4 miles a day. I run properly.. keep my posture correct, I never over exert myself unless I am doing short fast sprints. Well the pain has gotten worse as of last night after my run the dull ache became a sharp pain but only when I turn my foot a certain way, or squeeze my Tibia. I can only assume this is a stress fracture... I tried the jumping test and its hard to tell which causes the pain, landing or pushing off. I am not concerned with going to the doctor right away because an x-ray will not show a stress fracture until it has started the healing process.
I have been icing and elevating my leg and even wore flip flops to work instead of my usual heels. BUT, I can’t seem to get over the fact that I probably won’t be running for a few weeks until it heals. I am afraid this is going to set me back tremendously. I can't even express how much I enjoy my runs. I also do strength training and other exercises but don’t get the same "high" as I get from running. Besides I burn about 700 calories on average on my runs..
Has anyone else had a similar injury? Once you were able to run again was it like starting over? Also what kind of exercises should I do to stay active?
The injury doesn’t hurt while Im running, only after. It doesn’t even hurt to walk unless I land strangely... I just want to be careful not to injure myself further....
I noticed a dull ache a few inches above my ankle on the inside of my leg which I assume is the Tibia a few days ago. I have had shin splints for the majority of the last 4 months because I have been running, 4-5 times a week. I love running and it has gotten me into really great shape. I started slow and have worked my way up to running 4 miles a day. I run properly.. keep my posture correct, I never over exert myself unless I am doing short fast sprints. Well the pain has gotten worse as of last night after my run the dull ache became a sharp pain but only when I turn my foot a certain way, or squeeze my Tibia. I can only assume this is a stress fracture... I tried the jumping test and its hard to tell which causes the pain, landing or pushing off. I am not concerned with going to the doctor right away because an x-ray will not show a stress fracture until it has started the healing process.
I have been icing and elevating my leg and even wore flip flops to work instead of my usual heels. BUT, I can’t seem to get over the fact that I probably won’t be running for a few weeks until it heals. I am afraid this is going to set me back tremendously. I can't even express how much I enjoy my runs. I also do strength training and other exercises but don’t get the same "high" as I get from running. Besides I burn about 700 calories on average on my runs..
Has anyone else had a similar injury? Once you were able to run again was it like starting over? Also what kind of exercises should I do to stay active?
The injury doesn’t hurt while Im running, only after. It doesn’t even hurt to walk unless I land strangely... I just want to be careful not to injure myself further....
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*edit for double post0
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I'm not familiar with running injuries, as I have been lucky so far (*knocks on wood*), but I can tell you that you won't gain weight if you keep your calorie deficit the same as it was while you were running. Net the same number of calories, and you'll be fine.
Yes, you'll be set back in your running progress, but if you do interval sprints when you get back to it, you will quickly regain the progress you lost.0 -
Hey hun! I am so sorry to hear about your injury. Last year I was training for a half-marathon and I was following my training plan to a tee! I even took my rest days! On my 8 mile run I noticed my foot starting to hurt but ignored it and continued the run. The next day was just 3 miles and I couldn't even do 1, i was in so much pain!!!! I went to the doctor and I found out I had tendonitis in 3 places on my foot. I was in a walking boot for 6 weeks! I was so devastated!!! 2 weeks after I was out, I still ran my half-marathon! That was probably dumb of me but I didn't care! I am fine now though and I still run! The best thing is to definitely take a rest, even thought it will SUCK...it's not worth getting in a cast for!!!0
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Slow up. Start doing some strength training to build up your calfs (i.e. weighted calf raises / tip toe squats). When I first started running I had similar issues. I had to get my legs strong enough to support the run. No problems after I started doing leg workouts with my weight training.0
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Hey hun! I am so sorry to hear about your injury. Last year I was training for a half-marathon and I was following my training plan to a tee! I even took my rest days! On my 8 mile run I noticed my foot starting to hurt but ignored it and continued the run. The next day was just 3 miles and I couldn't even do 1, i was in so much pain!!!! I went to the doctor and I found out I had tendonitis in 3 places on my foot. I was in a walking boot for 6 weeks! I was so devastated!!! 2 weeks after I was out, I still ran my half-marathon! That was probably dumb of me but I didn't care! I am fine now though and I still run! The best thing is to definitely take a rest, even thought it will SUCK...it's not worth getting in a cast for!!!
I thought I had a stress fracture and it turned out to be tendonitis as well. It took months to recover! You need to get it checked out by a doctor.0 -
Can you substitute low-impact cardio for now till it's healed? Elliptical, bikes, stationary bikes...0
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Just because you run a lot does not mean you 'should' have shin splints.
If I were you, I would visit a local running store (not a big box store) and have them *kitten* your gait and recommend running shoes for you, personally. Then buy those shoes and run in them. Proper shoes go a LONG way in avoiding injury.0 -
Has anyone else had a similar injury? Once you were able to run again was it like starting over? Also what kind of exercises should I do to stay active?
The injury doesn’t hurt while Im running, only after. It doesn’t even hurt to walk unless I land strangely... I just want to be careful not to injure myself further....
You're doing the right thing. Take a week off and see how it feels and then attempt a very VERY easy run to check the progress of your recovery .
I took a little over two weeks off in December due to an injury in my upper left foot. I did have a tiny bit of a set back on my heart rate during my run but I was able to get that back to normal within a couple weeks. After two weeks back into it I didn't even notice that I took a rest period at all. You're not going to lose all your conditioning in a couple of weeks.
Give yourself time to heal and like others have said switch to some cross training like biking or elliptical to help keep your cardio fitness level up. It's harder not to run than to run now isn't it? I know the feeling so well. Rest now and run forever later. Do the right thing.0 -
Hi my name is Monica I run track and field along with cross country. This kind of stuff happens very often. You don't want to keep running because my friend got shin splits to the point she needed crutches to walk and was out for a season. Make sure you ALWAYS do a warm up run and a cool down run to avoid this kind of stress. Make sure you stretch after your warm up and before your cool down. If you are going for a straight long run, stretch right before and right after also. Pretty much just common sense. Since you have shin splits you want to mainly focus on trying to walk from heel to toe it's an easy and casual way to stretch it. Hope this was significantly helpful!
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I totally know what you mean.
I haven't run in a few months because of a foot and knee injury. The toe will never fully heal but I can walk and run on it. The knee is still not ready though. I just started PT and one of my goals is to run again so hopefully that will be happening soon.
When I first was injured, I figured it would go away with icing and anti-inflammatories so I didn't worry too much. When they didn't go away, I started alternating between getting anxious and getting depressed over not being able to run. I finally got back into running and was about to run multiple miles daily and enjoy it so all of a sudden not being able to do that was really tough.
I stayed active in other ways though which helped keep my sanity and health in check. I do yoga, I started swimming, now that it's getting nicer I can start biking and kayaking, I even started weight training. I miss running and hope to get into it soon but not being able to do it has enabled me to find enjoyment in other activities I might not have kept at.0 -
Just because you run a lot does not mean you 'should' have shin splints.
If I were you, I would visit a local running store (not a big box store) and have them *kitten* your gait and recommend running shoes for you, personally. Then buy those shoes and run in them. Proper shoes go a LONG way in avoiding injury.
I have had shoes prescribed to me by a physical therapist bc of my overpronation. That I already knew was an issue. Thanks0 -
Whether or not it is a stress fracture could be anyone's guess. You are correct, though - REST.
I had a stress fracture in my tibia (by the knee) five years ago and I can tell you the pain was AWFUL. I could not roll over in bed, even, or lift that leg up by it's own power to get in my truck. And you're right - and xray did not detect it but an MRI did, and I was ordered to be no-weight-bearing immediately, on crutches for six weeks. Return to running was very slow.
Our local sports medicine clinic does free injury assessment - is there anything like that in your area?
Sucks to not run - I totally understand!0 -
Has anyone else had a similar injury? Once you were able to run again was it like starting over? Also what kind of exercises should I do to stay active?
The injury doesn’t hurt while Im running, only after. It doesn’t even hurt to walk unless I land strangely... I just want to be careful not to injure myself further....
You're doing the right thing. Take a week off and see how it feels and then attempt a very VERY easy run to check the progress of your recovery .
I took a little over two weeks off in December due to an injury in my upper left foot. I did have a tiny bit of a set back on my heart rate during my run but I was able to get that back to normal within a couple weeks. After two weeks back into it I didn't even notice that I took a rest period at all. You're not going to lose all your conditioning in a couple of weeks.
Give yourself time to heal and like others have said switch to some cross training like biking or elliptical to help keep your cardio fitness level up. It's harder not to run than to run now isn't it? I know the feeling so well. Rest now and run forever later. Do the right thing.
You are VERY helpful in getting me out of my slump. I guess you could say that I feel addicted to the runs now... LOL. Never thought this day would come. 0 -
When I restarted running two years ago I stress fractured my foot and had to rest for 4 weeks.
If it does not hurt when running then I think it is highly unlikely that you have a stress fracture. When I had one it was excruciating when running. That is probably good news.
The bad news is that if you have had shin splints for 4 months then you are pushing your body too hard and not giving it a chance to adapt fully. So, a week off is probably in order. For the shin splints, in addtion ot taking a week off, I recommend you google some shin exercises like tracing the alphabet with your foot and also google "Good Form Running". Those should help the condition in the long term.
You will not lose any fitness in a week. Even after 2 weeks fitness loss is minimal. After that though it increases quickly. You may feel a little awkward on the first run back after a week but will be back to normal before the end of the run. If you have to take more than one week off then crosstraining is needed to minimize fitness loss. Eliptical, cycling, or pool running are probably the best options.
If a few days of rest don't fix the problem you probably ought to go see a Dr., preferably one that is also a runner. A Dr. that is also a runner will have you back on the road much faster that one who doesn't run.0 -
Whether or not it is a stress fracture could be anyone's guess. You are correct, though - REST.
I had a stress fracture in my tibia (by the knee) five years ago and I can tell you the pain was AWFUL. I could not roll over in bed, even, or lift that leg up by it's own power to get in my truck. And you're right - and xray did not detect it but an MRI did, and I was ordered to be no-weight-bearing immediately, on crutches for six weeks. Return to running was very slow.
Our local sports medicine clinic does free injury assessment - is there anything like that in your area?
Sucks to not run - I totally understand!
I think early next week I will go to the doctor to get it checked out, I am taking care not to strain it any further until then. Didnt know an MRI would work! I will definately ask for one.0 -
When I was a new runner I had TERRIBLE shin splints. I took 4 months off from running to heal. Make sure you are stretching and icing after each run. Also, products like McDavid shin wraps and Zensah compression sleeves can be really helpful. I would also recommend strength training a few times a week to help strengthen your whole body. Once you start running again, definitely reduce your mileage. Right now I'm only running 3-4x/week to avoid injury. Ideally you shouldn't run on consecutive days. Cross-training, like biking, rowing, elliptical, etc. is just as good for your body! Good luck!0
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I am 8 weeks into a stress fracture in my foot (caused by a workout video with lots of balancing on my toes...every day for 2 weeks). You're right about not being able to see it on the x-ray. They had to do an MRI and then I got to wear a fun boot for a month. I'm just about to the point where I can start exercising again. It sucked that I couldn't do much, but I did watch my eating and maintain my weight.
I hope that you heal quickly.0 -
Same thing happened to me but it was a knee problem. I switched it up to eliptical HIIT.0
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Thank guys for all the advice. I do a 5 minute warm up walk before and after my runs, I also stretch after my warmup walk and once again after my cool down walk. I ice my shins, I asked a friend who is in sports medicine at the high school about my shin splints and he said it was probably because I was running on pavement. He recommended I switch to a running trail of dirt. I should have listened! Do you think its possible for my shin splints to have caused this other strange injury?0
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Be prepared that the insurance company might deny the MRI the first time. Mine required 2 inconclusive x-rays before they would approve the MRI.I think early next week I will go to the doctor to get it checked out, I am taking care not to strain it any further until then. Didnt know an MRI would work! I will definately ask for one.0 -
The shin splint might be the culprit. When something hurts it often causes you to alter your running form causing undue stress somewhere else. You need to get the shin splint issue resolved even if the other pain turns out to be nothing.Thank guys for all the advice. I do a 5 minute warm up walk before and after my runs, I also stretch after my warmup walk and once again after my cool down walk. I ice my shins, I asked a friend who is in sports medicine at the high school about my shin splints and he said it was probably because I was running on pavement. He recommended I switch to a running trail of dirt. I should have listened! Do you think its possible for my shin splints to have caused this other strange injury?0 -
Taking the rest is important, you always want to listen to your body first to avoid major injury! I find that running with compression socks, especially during my long runs really helps with shin splints and any foot pain, may be psychosomatic but I prefer them!0
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Go to the doctor if you can - I got a really bad case of sciatica and thought to stretch it out myself and I made it worse. I had to get 8 weeks of PT and then wasn't allowed to run until I felt no pain.
That was up to January. I got better shoes (for me - Saucony Omni 11s) and I can run w/out pain.
Get it checked out so you don't injure your self more!0 -
Same thing happened to me but it was a knee problem. I switched it up to eliptical HIIT.
Thats exactly what I think I am going to do! I only get to the gym twice a week because I am a single mom... however, I think this may just be that little nudge to buy either a stationary bike or elliptical so I have the option of doing something other than high impact running when at home. I usually do my runs while my son takes his nap or right after he goes to bed and have someone watch him. THANKS! Going to look up an elliptical HIIT regime.
*typos! Sometimes my brain works faster than my fingers... lol0 -
I don't know what the the jumping test was that you did, but I experienced the same pain a month ago. I was on Week 7 of C25K when my ankle started to hurt. It hurt once but I thought I would tough it out and keep going and the next time I ran I couldn't complete it. The first few times were like you...it didn't hurt until I stopped running and hurt the rest of the day. I had a tight knot above my ankle on the inside about the size of a potato. The most painful thing was going down steps. Something about the angle I had to put my foot when doing that really hurt. I went to the doc and he x-ray'd and said no stress fracture but it was tendonitis.
I didn't exercise at all for 3 weeks. The only option for me was an elliptical or riding a bike. I tried the elliptical but because of the angle it put my foot in it still hurt, but biking was OK. I just got going again two weeks ago and I am still only walking and it's a dull pain now not a sharp pain. I can't jump or even run up a set of stairs without pain and this has been going on since Feb 12. I still haven't tried running yet. I just got to where I can walk on it two days in a row. I will probably go back to C25K in a couple weeks, but I will back up quite a bit when I start again.0 -
I don't know what the the jumping test was that you did, but I experienced the same pain a month ago. I was on Week 7 of C25K when my ankle started to hurt. It hurt once but I thought I would tough it out and keep going and the next time I ran I couldn't complete it. The first few times were like you...it didn't hurt until I stopped running and hurt the rest of the day. I had a tight knot above my ankle on the inside about the size of a potato. The most painful thing was going down steps. Something about the angle I had to put my foot when doing that really hurt. I went to the doc and he x-ray'd and said no stress fracture but it was tendonitis.
I didn't exercise at all for 3 weeks. The only option for me was an elliptical or riding a bike. I tried the elliptical but because of the angle it put my foot in it still hurt, but biking was OK. I just got going again two weeks ago and I am still only walking and it's a dull pain now not a sharp pain. I can't jump or even run up a set of stairs without pain and this has been going on since Feb 12. I still haven't tried running yet. I just got to where I can walk on it two days in a row. I will probably go back to C25K in a couple weeks, but I will back up quite a bit when I start again.
Someone told me that when you jump if it hurts pushing off its muscle or soft tissue and if it hurts when you land its the bones. Mine kinda stays the same when I jump. That may be what it is. I am going to cut out running and try elliptical tonight. Did you try wearing heels? When I went to put on my heels this morning the pain was WAY worse, so I had to wear flip flops to work in my nice dress clothes :P I havent tried stairs yet bc I took the elevator at work.. I will try stairs and see how that feels when I leave work. THANKS! Its hard getting set back when you are working so hard to get where you are. BUT, I will never give up! 0 -
I ran across your post when I typed “all I want to do is run” into Google.
I see this was an older post and was wondering if you have found relief for you pain?
I have a little experience with running and the ache and pains caused but it and would like to offer my advise if it’s still an issue? When I say little I have logged as many as 70 miles per week when training for Boston. I’m only logging 20- 30 per week now after a 6 month break.0
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