Anyone out that just can't run?

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Replies

  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 544 Member
    I have to be honest, shin splints are the devil and they can last anywhere from a month to a year to fully heal. Mine lasted close to 4 months before the muscles in my calves became stronger.

    I saw a doctor and sports therapist on my shin splints and they told me what the lady at my running store told me for free. Rest, Ice, Elevation.

    I used to freeze bathroom size dixie cups half way with water and tear the unused portion of the cup off (so the ice was showing). Then I would massage the ice on my shins. Very cold but helped a lot!

    Grrrr. Hope you figure out whats wrong! Would hate to see you not run because of it! :(
  • blu_meanie_ca
    blu_meanie_ca Posts: 352 Member
    I have sciatic nerve damage, and have a degree of paralysis to both of my legs and feet. Running, jumping, and certain other movements require a balance and use of body that I just don't have any more. But, I found exercises I can modify, and am currently working my butt off anyways.
  • marianneread
    marianneread Posts: 21 Member
    I can't run because of my knee. Everything I've been told/read says that walking a mile will burn just as many calories as running it because you go the same distance, it just takes longer. It is frustrating when you are impatient and want to run, but it's much easier on the joints. I also do other other cardio (elliptical, bike, aerobics, zubma) and strength training. I would like to run, but just can't. It's not worth causing long-term damage.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
    I started running last year in May and still can't get passed shin splints!! I feel like I have tried everything!!! I went to a running store and was fitted for shoes, I have shortened my stride, I have paid close attention to my landing to make sure I am landing on my midfoot and not my heel, I have stretched before and after and massaged before and after. Nothing makes it better!!! I took a month off running to fully let them heal and after 2 days of easy going....they are back with vengeance! I have ran slow, fast and done intervals to no avail! I love running and want so badly to be able to run. I'm so sad and angry that I CAN'T run!

    Has anyone else had this experience? Did you get passed it? If so, please tell me how.

    Thanks in advance,

    Deperate to run

    Had shin splints for a long time.... I tried minimal, I tried physiotherapy, I tried Active Release Therapy, shoes, forefoot etc etc.

    Then I started to train other complimentary muscles.

    I worked my core muscles which brought my hips into alignment and then I started a couple of other exercises which seemed to help and have continued them along the way. (The hip bone's connected to the thigh bone... the thigh bone's connected to the knee bone... the knee bone's connected to the... Ok enough singing... they are all interconnected :) )

    Exercise one -> Everyone knows this one... Single leg calf raises. Get yourself a piece of 2 x 6 about 2 feet long. Place your toes on the 2 x 6 and do calf raises. Start with 10 calf raises twice daily. Increase the number when you feel able. I do about 100 of these suckers several times per week.

    Exercise two -> Stand on your heels...crunch your toes up like you are making a fist. Now walk 30 steps on your heels and don't allow your toes to relax (keep them in a "fist"). Do this twice a day. I do about 60 steps this way twice a day (and yeah I get some funny looks)

    Just for $#itz and giggles... Get a bucket of little army men (the little green guys).... Spill them on the floor and practice picking them up with your toes.

    These exercises strengthen the muscles in your shins and calves and may help correct the muscle imbalance that causes some people to have shin splints.

    Hope it works for you.
  • Chari_Jan
    Chari_Jan Posts: 157 Member
    I started running last year in May and still can't get passed shin splints!! I feel like I have tried everything!!! I went to a running store and was fitted for shoes, I have shortened my stride, I have paid close attention to my landing to make sure I am landing on my midfoot and not my heel, I have stretched before and after and massaged before and after. Nothing makes it better!!! I took a month off running to fully let them heal and after 2 days of easy going....they are back with vengeance! I have ran slow, fast and done intervals to no avail! I love running and want so badly to be able to run. I'm so sad and angry that I CAN'T run!

    Has anyone else had this experience? Did you get passed it? If so, please tell me how.

    Thanks in advance,

    Deperate to run

    Had shin splints for a long time.... I tried minimal, I tried physiotherapy, I tried Active Release Therapy, shoes, forefoot etc etc.

    Then I started to train other complimentary muscles.

    I worked my core muscles which brought my hips into alignment and then I started a couple of other exercises which seemed to help and have continued them along the way. (The hip bone's connected to the thigh bone... the thigh bone's connected to the knee bone... the knee bone's connected to the... Ok enough singing... they are all interconnected :) )

    Exercise one -> Everyone knows this one... Single leg calf raises. Get yourself a piece of 2 x 6 about 2 feet long. Place your toes on the 2 x 6 and do calf raises. Start with 10 calf raises twice daily. Increase the number when you feel able. I do about 100 of these suckers several times per week.

    Exercise two -> Stand on your heels...crunch your toes up like you are making a fist. Now walk 30 steps on your heels and don't allow your toes to relax (keep them in a "fist"). Do this twice a day. I do about 60 steps this way twice a day (and yeah I get some funny looks)

    Just for $#itz and giggles... Get a bucket of little army men (the little green guys).... Spill them on the floor and practice picking them up with your toes.

    These exercises strengthen the muscles in your shins and calves and may help correct the muscle imbalance that causes some people to have shin splints.

    Hope it works for you.

    Fantastic advice!!! I love it! I also do heavy lifting and have a day focused on calves and of course the usual squats, lunges and deadlifts. I love the army men thing! I'm gonna try all of these! Thank you! :flowerforyou:
  • Chari_Jan
    Chari_Jan Posts: 157 Member
    I second compression sleeves. When I trained for my first marathon, my shins were always so tender, the slightest brush against them would cause me excruciating pain. The second time around, I used compression sleeves and had no problems. Mine are by Zensah, I think. Picked them up at my local running store.

    Just ordered the same brand of compression sleeves. Thank you. :flowerforyou:
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    I cant. Multiple knee injuries and severe shin splints. my knees are often sore even after using an eliptical
  • brandyosu
    brandyosu Posts: 257 Member
    When I run it makes my teeth/gums hurt! I know it's so weird. Other exercise doesn't do that... just running.

    Hmm. Do you grind your teeth while you run? I find myself doing that on my motorcycle.

    Nope... even when I was a kid this happened. It feels like it's going my gums are going to burst. Maybe it's a blood pressure issue... I don't know, I guess I am a weirdo! LOL

    This hasn't happened to me in quite a while and I don't really remember what activity cause it (I was just a kid - so a LOOOONG time ago) but I remember my gums hurting and the sensation that my teeth were about to all fall out.

    And to the OP...I have no advice although the post with the shin/calf exercises sounds like they may be onto something. I WANT to be a runner even though I actually hate running. And not because I think it is the magic weight loss bullet - I weight train and do other cardio exercises that I actually enjoy - more because I think it would be amazing to have the sense of accomplishment attached to completing a race at some speed other than walking. I had grand plans for last year to be *the* year, but then trained myself into an actue case of plantar fasciitis. Unfortunately, everything that has been recommended so far has not worked but I was just fitted last week for custom inserts for both my athletic shoes and work shoes. Praying that works...although I may try out some of those exercises suggested. The one with the Army men sounds a lot like something I've heard is being done for football players with PF at the local university.
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    I have gone through some brief running phases in my life that mostly resulted in plantar fasciitis, ankle, knee, and hip injuries. I spent thousands of dollars on shoes, orthotics, orthopedic specialists, etc. Nothing helped, and I was very close to requiring foot surgery. So I don't run, other than occasional hill sprint sessions when I'm feeling particularly ballsy. I don't think it's necessary. There are other ways to get a cardiovascular workout, if that's your thing (and it's not mine, at all).

    A lot of people run because they love it. More power to them. But I think most people run because they think it's the magic bullet for fat loss, and it just isn't. So if running is painful for you and not enjoyable, don't feel pressured to do it.

    I enjoy running. It's the whole mind game of beating yourself and pushing yourself farther than you ever thought you could. The feeling of triumph at the finish line or that 5th mile when you've only ran 3 miles before. It's a high you get that you just can't get from anything else. I get my cardio from other sources right now but it's just not satisfying like running.

    Running 5 miles when youve never run more than 3 can cause shin splints & other injuries.

    Remember to avoid the terrible toos - too much, too long, too fast. The rule of thumb is only increase distance 10%. (ie 3 miles = 3.3 miles)
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    I wish I could run. I get a couple of blocks and just about fall on my face. Get foot drop due to MS and end up tripping. So I just walk as fast as I can. My husband used to walk faster than me and leave me in his dust. Now I out walk him, look back and yell come on old man can't you keep up? Lol I do dream that I can run though.. does that count? LOL
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    When I run it makes my teeth/gums hurt! I know it's so weird. Other exercise doesn't do that... just running.

    Hmm. Do you grind your teeth while you run? I find myself doing that on my motorcycle.

    Nope... even when I was a kid this happened. It feels like it's going my gums are going to burst. Maybe it's a blood pressure issue... I don't know, I guess I am a weirdo! LOL

    This hasn't happened to me in quite a while and I don't really remember what activity cause it (I was just a kid - so a LOOOONG time ago) but I remember my gums hurting and the sensation that my teeth were about to all fall out.

    And to the OP...I have no advice although the post with the shin/calf exercises sounds like they may be onto something. I WANT to be a runner even though I actually hate running. And not because I think it is the magic weight loss bullet - I weight train and do other cardio exercises that I actually enjoy - more because I think it would be amazing to have the sense of accomplishment attached to completing a race at some speed other than walking. I had grand plans for last year to be *the* year, but then trained myself into an actue case of plantar fasciitis. Unfortunately, everything that has been recommended so far has not worked but I was just fitted last week for custom inserts for both my athletic shoes and work shoes. Praying that works...although I may try out some of those exercises suggested. The one with the Army men sounds a lot like something I've heard is being done for football players with PF at the local university.

    Plantar fasciitis is a bear & the only thing that works is a lot of down time & patience. Forget about running for the near future. PF can often take up to a year to heal. Use use a vibrator massager twice a day. The massager stimulates blood flow and loosens the tendons. Keep your feet supported at all times, even when getting out of the bed to go to the bathroom at night.

    When things start feeling a "much" better start spending time going barefoot. Dont over do it. You need to walk barefoot to strengthen your feet. Your feet have been weakened and are flaccid because of wearing cushioned running shoes. After things heal consider running minimalist.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JWUhW5yRdI
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
    I wish I could run. I get a couple of blocks and just about fall on my face. Get foot drop due to MS and end up tripping. So I just walk as fast as I can. My husband used to walk faster than me and leave me in his dust. Now I out walk him, look back and yell come on old man can't you keep up? Lol I do dream that I can run though.. does that count? LOL

    You go girl!
  • upgetupgetup
    upgetupgetup Posts: 749 Member
    I have gone through some brief running phases in my life that mostly resulted in plantar fasciitis, ankle, knee, and hip injuries. I spent thousands of dollars on shoes, orthotics, orthopedic specialists, etc. Nothing helped, and I was very close to requiring foot surgery. So I don't run, other than occasional hill sprint sessions when I'm feeling particularly ballsy. I don't think it's necessary. There are other ways to get a cardiovascular workout, if that's your thing (and it's not mine, at all).

    A lot of people run because they love it. More power to them. But I think most people run because they think it's the magic bullet for fat loss, and it just isn't. So if running is painful for you and not enjoyable, don't feel pressured to do it.

    +1.

    Running's one of those things I'd never try if I had my life to do again.

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