Shin splints

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rheelizabeth
rheelizabeth Posts: 160 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started MFP in March 2012... I quickly found out via jogging/walking that my shins REALLY hurt... apparently this was shin splints, very common in beginners blah blah. Told to take a few weeks off my feet and to avoid running on pavements when I did go back to it.

I went back to it after 3 weeks, and of course, on day 1, the shins hurt again. So I got myself some expensive new trainers specifically for running (these: http://www.elverys.ie/images/productImages/Zoom/adidas_gateway_1030008final.jpg), I've worn these ever since, but have come to the conclusion that they just don't help. I also only run on fields, although this is almost impossible in winter in the UK, given that it rains almost every day.

Read online somewhere that you needed to not run on shin splints for at least 6 weeks. So I tried 6 weeks, I did different exercises that didn't involve jumping/jogging and they seemed to be OK. Until I went back to jogging and day 1, the pain came back.

I do dancing on the days I don't walk/jog, and I sometimes to 30 Day Shred or fitness DVD's... every single exercise I do involves cardio, because I need to lose more than 20lbs, my BMI is still over 30, managed to get it down from almost 37, I'm doing well, but I need to not have this pain anymore. I use a HRM, and I know that jogging and dancing is the best things for me, because I can burn 600 calories in an hour, and nothing else compares. A lot of my dancing involves jumping around, same as jogging... I can't avoid it...

Anybody have any more advice? I was thinking of getting some kind of pad for my shins, but do they actually help? Just placing a finger on my shin makes me nauseous and is SO SO painful.


I've seen a doctor several times about this, and they just say the same things, avoid impact on my shins, do different exercises, avoid concrete and get good cushion-y trainers... all done, and yes they probably help, but as soon as I get back on it, they are still there.
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Replies

  • rheelizabeth
    rheelizabeth Posts: 160 Member
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    Anyone?
  • Pbgrl04
    Pbgrl04 Posts: 129
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    I don't know if I'm right but maybe try walking first and slowly work up to running
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Shin splints are usually from weak shin muscles and pounding down on your heels. When you run, shorten your stride and make sure you land on your midfoot not your heel. You can also do shin strengthening exercises like sitting with your feet flat on the floor and lifting your toes up and down or stand with just your toes on the edge of a step and raise yourself up and down.
  • jenndymond
    jenndymond Posts: 117 Member
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    Lots of ice, lots of stretching...excessive amount even.

    Take it slow.

    Did you get your shoes fitted properly by people who know how (like a specialty running store) and did you inform them that you were suffering from shin splints?

    Be careful. Shin splints can lead to fractures and do alot of damage if not taken care of. Good luck.
  • RobinV_Seattle
    RobinV_Seattle Posts: 191 Member
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    Shin splints are usually from weak shin muscles and pounding down on your heels. When you run, shorten your stride and make sure you land on your midfoot not your heel. You can also do shin strengthening exercises like sitting with your feet flat on the floor and lifting your toes up and down or stand with just your toes on the edge of a step and raise yourself up and down.

    This^^ I also get shin splints and this helps tremendously!

    If you have a gym membership, there are machines that basically do the same thing - but you can add weight to help strengthen those muscles more!
  • rheelizabeth
    rheelizabeth Posts: 160 Member
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    Lots of ice, lots of stretching...excessive amount even.

    Take it slow.

    Did you get your shoes fitted properly by people who know how (like a specialty running store) and did you inform them that you were suffering from shin splints?

    Be careful. Shin splints can lead to fractures and do alot of damage if not taken care of. Good luck.

    I did not get my shoes fitted properly, I'm on state benefits and cannot afford expensive trainers, I got the ones I linked to before from my parents for my Birthday last year.

    I googled lots of stretches, I will start to do them, thank you everyone :)
  • xidia
    xidia Posts: 606 Member
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    Problem is, you need to get your shoes fitted properly. Most running stores offer a free gait analysis and advice service. Once you know what shoes you need, it's not uncommon to go away and buy them cheaper online.
  • jonnie7053
    jonnie7053 Posts: 48 Member
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    Shin splints are usually from weak shin muscles and pounding down on your heels. When you run, shorten your stride and make sure you land on your midfoot not your heel. You can also do shin strengthening exercises like sitting with your feet flat on the floor and lifting your toes up and down or stand with just your toes on the edge of a step and raise yourself up and down.

    I totally agree here, landing on your heel means that you are transferring the impact through your entire leg and all your joints are absorbing the force. Shortening your stride and ensuring that you knee is slightly bent will improve the situation and allow your feet to act as they should and dissipate the impacts. Also increasing your cadence while using a shorter stride will also help.
    Improving the efficiency of your running form will provide a longer term method of injury prevention rather than anything you can buy in a sports shop.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I got some advice on this too, today, from my boss who participates in 100+ km charity walks 4-5 times a year and trains intensively for them.

    He says ice and rest and do shin stretches by kneeling down with your toes pointed away from you and your butt on your heels to stretch the shin muscles, and to do the calf exercises discussed above - stand with toes on the edge on a step and raise yourself up and down.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    First of all, get your doctor to eliminate a stress fracture, as it's gone on so long.

    Once that's sorted, to stretch the muscles down the front of your shin, kneel on your feet and lean backwards. Ice them by keeping a water bottle in the freezer and rolling it over the affected area a couple of times a day. To strengthen them, write out the alphabet with your toes several times a day.

    Yes, getting properly fitted shoes is important (and then buying last season's colours online as you're on a budget), but correct technique is even more important. Roger Bannister ran a four-minute mile in plimsolls, and there are many barefoot marathon runners who don't rely on high-tech soles to protect them.

    Many beginner runners heel-land, meaning they pull up their toes, which both strains the muscles along the shin over and over again and massively increases the impact of every stride. Google videos of mid-foot landing to get an idea of the difference. Let your leg swing naturally to land under your body (not in front) and you should automatically land mid-foot, letting your entire foot act as a shock-absorber. You may find you have a shorter stride but faster turnover.

    I'm speaking from experience here - I was in agony the first few times I tried to take up running, but now I'm been at it for 15 years. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • annisthehag
    annisthehag Posts: 11
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    Some good advice here. I'd just like to emphasize taking it slow. I've also struggled with shin splints and have found that increasing the amount I run each week by only 10% works well for me. I started out running one day a week for around 30 minutes. I built up from there. It's really slow going and I'm still working on getting up to a level I'm pleased with (currently up to 1hour 45 mins a week). I have been properly fitted for shoes, yet still have problems. I'm not denying well-fitting shoes are important, only that it won't automatically fix the problem. My stride could probably be better, and I am working on it, but it takes time. Anyway, just thought I'd share. :)
  • rheelizabeth
    rheelizabeth Posts: 160 Member
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    Thank you for all your invaluable advice! Alot of very helpful tips, especially the stretches/exercises and form of running!

    I live in the UK, the only kind of shops that sell training shoes are ones that specialise in gym stuff, rather than running... I don't think we have a running shop in UK full stop. So getting fitted for one could be a huge problem, I'm likely to be just pushed into the most expensive pair in the shop than a pair that will help.

    I also have a bit of another problem, which I am wondering if it is linked... I get a lot of cramp in my calves after exercising, this has calmed down a lot now since I have learned better stretches to do after my workout depending on what exercise I did, however I still get a lot of ache in my calves, and I have come to realise, I do a LOT of my dancing and jogging for that matter, on my tip toes... between all the songs I dance to, I jump up and down or do jumping jacks, and I do them all on my tippy toes...
    Now I'm wondering if trying to stop myself from being on my tip toes so much will put more pressure on my shins, by using my heels more....

    Also I thought it worth mentioning that I am only 4'11" tall... so I think that also has a huge amount to blame... given that at the beginning, I was 180lbs... that's a lot of weight for such a short person... I'm hoping once my BMI is below 30, my shines wont be given so much weight to contend with lol....

    Thank you again for all your advice!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Being on your toes is stretching your calves.
  • Xhell_on_heelsX
    Xhell_on_heelsX Posts: 299
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    Have the same problem..I pushed myself way too hard and went straight into running without giving my shins and muscles much of a chance to adapt. Now I can't run and doing lunges or jumping jacks for 30 day shred kills me. I'm going to take off a couple weeks and do different workouts THEN go back to square one and start off walking and leg exercises to ease into things. Hope you feel better soon!
  • slacker75
    slacker75 Posts: 78 Member
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    I had the same problem when I was doing C25K - but after I stopped and the pain was still there several weeks later I went to my doctor who told me give it more time. I started again - and it was back - even more severe (It hurt to press my gas petal in the car for weeks). I went back to the doctor, saw my doctors PA instead who referred me to sports medicine. After x-rays, it was comfirmed I had bi-lateral stress fractures. I took 8 week off all exercise - walking and everything. My doctor recommended extra calcium tablets too. (This was around September 2011 - I got pregnant in January 2012 and haven't tempted running again yet since I had the baby.) But..... When I was reelased to start again - they gave me a schedule and told me compression stockings work too and some exercises to strenghten my shins.

    Good Luck
  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
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    Foam rollers are not ewpemnsive and they seem to work very well. Sometimes shin splints are caused by the tight muscles in the legs. A foam roller is like a deep tissue massage and will help losen them. Definitely need proper fitting shoes. I also buy the cheap shoe inserts and add 2 to each my shoes. Definitely pay attention to your gait. land midfoot, not on the ball and avoid heel strikes. There is a companyb that makes cheaper compression socks. Look on eBay for More Mile socks, they are based in the UK as well. Compression socks are amazing!

    For a good judge on how you should land. walk backwards and when you go forward again, try to keep that form. This has worked for numerous people that I know. lean slightly forward and let your weight carry you.
  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
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    Thank you for all your invaluable advice! Alot of very helpful tips, especially the stretches/exercises and form of running!

    I live in the UK, the only kind of shops that sell training shoes are ones that specialise in gym stuff, rather than running... I don't think we have a running shop in UK full stop. So getting fitted for one could be a huge problem, I'm likely to be just pushed into the most expensive pair in the shop than a pair that will help.

    I also have a bit of another problem, which I am wondering if it is linked... I get a lot of cramp in my calves after exercising, this has calmed down a lot now since I have learned better stretches to do after my workout depending on what exercise I did, however I still get a lot of ache in my calves, and I have come to realise, I do a LOT of my dancing and jogging for that matter, on my tip toes... between all the songs I dance to, I jump up and down or do jumping jacks, and I do them all on my tippy toes...
    Now I'm wondering if trying to stop myself from being on my tip toes so much will put more pressure on my shins, by using my heels more....

    Also I thought it worth mentioning that I am only 4'11" tall... so I think that also has a huge amount to blame... given that at the beginning, I was 180lbs... that's a lot of weight for such a short person... I'm hoping once my BMI is below 30, my shines wont be given so much weight to contend with lol....

    Thank you again for all your advice!

    FOAM ROLLER! That tightness in the calves could be why your shins hurt!
  • selenametts
    selenametts Posts: 42 Member
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    LOTS of stretching a foam roller helped me so much with shin splints and knee pain. just take the time to really stretch and roll those muscles out! especially the IT Band.
  • rungrainnerun
    rungrainnerun Posts: 17 Member
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    http://www.runandbecome.com/Home

    This running specialist shop is in the UK, I haven't had first hand experience as I live in Ireland but its the one that Ruth Field recommends in the book 'Run Fat B!tch Run' .. which will totally change your views on running by the way and is well worth the read if you're into it!! Its lighthearted and funny so don't get put off or offended by the title haha!! I suffered from shin splints a lot when I started, the stretching really helps , also my running form was all wrong when I started which is probably why I got them in the first place. That change comes purely from practice so try the stretches and hopefully it will get better over time. Still get them sometimes but not half as bad as before!
    Good luck!!! G.
  • lkbusby
    lkbusby Posts: 8
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    Physical therapist helped me tremendously with specific exercises and also, i wasn't doing enough of each. he also suggested taking a piece of ice and running down my shin after running, it made it feel so much better. i did PT for about 3-4 weeks before a race and was so much better by race time. stretching before and after is key and good shoes. I also wear compression sleeves when i run, helps too. shin splints are the worst pain ever so i feel for you. hope it gets better soon!!

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