help need advice! shin splints or stress fracture

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I recently started running/walking. I have a route that involves a hill. I started getting shin splints. It got worse on sat, my last run. Since then, I have like a constant tenderness/ache/pain on top of my foot and if I press a certain spot on the front of my lower leg, its a shooting pain. Should I see a doctor or just rest for a week or so...?

Replies

  • mof4apmj
    mof4apmj Posts: 12 Member
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    I'd see a doctor since this is an on going problem getting increasingly worse the more you exercise, until then I would rest and avoid the hill. (Like that's an option in SF...lol)
  • 2moonNback
    2moonNback Posts: 61 Member
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    Another thing to consider is going to a running store and getting sized and fitted for a good pair of running shoes. Made all the difference for me when I first started...
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
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    make sure you'res tretching and icing properly, but talking to your doctor wont hurt either.
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member
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    I would also recommend seeing a doctor for sure. I had pain in my shin, lower like above my ankle, when I started running last winter. I thought it was just shin splints so I kept running anyway. I finally went and had it looked at and it was tendonitis in my inner shin. It was like a dull ache all the time. I was unable to run for 2 months. Healed that up and developed it again only higher up under my knee. I'm finally healed up from that. Proper shoes are very important.

    Listen to your body, if it hurts stop and get it checked it out.
  • jenndymond
    jenndymond Posts: 117 Member
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    Stretch, Ice massage a few times a day (I like filling styrofoam cups with water and freezing it), and be very very careful about running on shin splints. Give it a few days rest if it still hurts see a doc.
  • uneik3
    uneik3 Posts: 68 Member
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    Shin spints tend to be worse going down hill than up hill. Hills are fun to run down, but because your foot is falling harder and farther than it does uphill or level, the impact is greater and can cause issues. Try to take it slow down the hills and try not to go straight down if it can be avoided.
  • twilighttabby
    twilighttabby Posts: 51 Member
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    I was having pain on the top of my foot too after walking. I went to the doctor and he told me I have Tendonitis. I rested for about 2 weeks,till the pain went away. Then the next time that I walked,I started having pain on the outed side of my left foot about mid foot and it moved to right below my ankle. I went to a Foot and Ankle Specialist (Podiatrist) and he told me I had Peroneal Tendonitis. Gave me a shot of steroids in my foot and a brace to stabilize my foot. It is feeling better today. He also told me to go and get shoes from a shoes store that works with people with feet problems. Where I live the store is called Pacer&Racers. If I was you I would go to the doctor. I put it off for a month and my doctor told me that if I didn't get treatment for it,it would have been a lot worse and could have ended up needing surgery.I hope this helps a little. Good Luck! :)
  • Ataris9
    Ataris9 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thanks for all the advice! :)
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    I generally head to the massage therapist before the dr. If the problem is just starting it saves me a bunch of money. A dr will have the visit cost, xray, mri, etc. The massage therapist can get in there and loosen things up. I also have found that proper KT Tape and compression sock really make a difference for recovery. I had the beginning of shin splints mid training for my next race. I was really proactive, did massage, ice, compression, KT Tape, and swapped out to an alternating pair of shoes. Problem was self resolved in a few weeks. I continued to be able to train and didn't miss any time or have to switch types of training. It really is something you need to be very very proactive on.