Running downhill - need some suggestions

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JulieAnn72
JulieAnn72 Posts: 795 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've switched my route for running now that I can go further. We have a beautiful lake in our neighborhood with a running trail (asphalt) all around it. I usually run in a different area of the neighborhood because it's flat. To get to the lake from my house, I have to go down a huge hill and then back up it when I'm done. But it's such a nicer environment I decided to try running to the lake on Friday and it was great. I had no issue going up the hill at the end of my workout. I figured all was well. And then on Saturday, I noticed my shin muscles were killing me. I stretched a lot and tried again on Sunday. That's when I realized it's the downhill that's the problem. Ouch! I can feel every bit of my muscles in my shins going down that hill.

So, how can I get to the lake to run without killing my shins! I run on a concrete sidewalk down the hill. Are there any tricks to running downhill without hurting your shins? Would I be better off walking down the hill? I am still doing some walking in my runs, so it would be okay. But that's early in my workout so I don't *need* to walk at that point. Any recommendations?

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  • JeffersJJ
    JeffersJJ Posts: 58 Member
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    If you're feeling any pain in your knees, you're running with incorrect form by landing on your heels. If you're feeling pain in your shins, take a week off. Shin splints are common in the second to fourth week of running more distance than you're used to running. Even during BUDS training, there is a week where running is excluded from their rigorous training so they don't drop people for shin splints. Ice them down and take a week to do other exercises (squats, burpees, pullups, pushups, etc...) at a high pace that keeps the heart rate up and get back to the running after a week of "rest". Best of luck!
  • Janyaa
    Janyaa Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm interested in knowing the answer to this, as well! I've recently started learning how to run and I find that my shins are really sore afterwards and the next day. It's not the bone, it's the muscle that runs along the outside of your shin. It's been awhile since anatomy/ physiology, but I believe it's called the tibial anterior...

    Thanks for posting this question, OP!
  • mamosh81
    mamosh81 Posts: 409 Member
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    when we go hiking i sometimes go down backwards if we walk to long downhill it really helps but then again doubt you can run backwards :happy:
  • JingleMuffin
    JingleMuffin Posts: 543 Member
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    i lean back a bit on the down hills and try to land softly with foot fall. if theres a patch of grass or gravel next to the sidwalk you can take that as an alternative. I also take baths a few times a week and the warm water helps me stretch out a little better. - works for me.
  • beckyboop712
    beckyboop712 Posts: 383 Member
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    Growing up in the mountains, I had to learn how to run downhill. Let the hill carry you down, don't resist too much. I actually had a coach that made us run up a hill for training and then would stand at the bottom while we came down one at a time and she would latch arms with us to help stop us.
  • rassha01
    rassha01 Posts: 534 Member
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    Like the above poster said shin splints are common when you add in higher intensity and mix things in that your body is not used to. Just because you felt it more going down the hill the next day does not mean that the downhill portion is what caused it, it just exacerbated the pain more. Take a week off, ice them, and let them heal. Go back at it next week when they feel better and maybe slow your pace a bit, I would bet that after 1 or 2 more bouts you will not get them anymore. Good luck!

    Edit to add:

    Once you get used to them, doing hill repeats (going up and back down the hill repeatedly) are awesome for your endurance!!
  • JulieAnn72
    JulieAnn72 Posts: 795 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I'll try to focus on my form more and see if that helps. I wasn't really paying as much attention so I'll try to make sure I'm landing softly on the feet.

    For those who mentioned shin splints, is that the term for any soreness in the shins? Because last year, when I first tried running using C25K, I had really bad pains in my shins that felt different than this. I ended up buying new running shoes and that helped a lot. This time, it's more like I can feel the muscles really contracting, similar to how I feel my abs when I'm doing crunches and after enough of them it really pulls. So I think it's just the muscles being worked. Is that really "shin splints"? I don't feel like I need to rest my legs. They only hurt when I'm running down the hill. Today, I can feel the muscles, as I can feel my abs from this morning's workout, but they don't really hurt and I can walk around just fine.

    ETA: I guess I was exaggerating a bit when I said in my OP that my shin muscles were "killing me" on Saturday. They were sore, but I could walk around just fine, and stretching definitely helped alleviate the soreness.
  • JingleMuffin
    JingleMuffin Posts: 543 Member
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    i love uphill sprints and then latterals all the way back down. sprint up again, repeat. you will hate/ love me for that one. so so good

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