Runners vs Shin splints

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Fuhgeddaboudit
Fuhgeddaboudit Posts: 88
in Fitness and Exercise
What do you guys do to make them feel better??

Any help is appreciated :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • deshaine
    deshaine Posts: 195
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    Ice them... take some tylenol. Rest and let them heal. To avoid getting them, start out slow, and work your way up.

    HTH...
  • Sharonbed4d
    Sharonbed4d Posts: 163
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    Also make sure you have good running shoes that fit properly.
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    actually since i've been running outside, i haven't had a problem with them. on the treadmill though, 9 out of 10 times i have shin pain.

    i changed my shoes, shortened my stride and it helped for a minute, but that was it.

    where do you run, pavement or treadmill?
  • katapple
    katapple Posts: 1,108 Member
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    along with what was said above...stretch your calves really well before and after any exercise
  • Fuhgeddaboudit
    Fuhgeddaboudit Posts: 88
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    I run on a treadmill at a 1% incline (to make it more like outside.)

    I know it's muscular... would bengay or iceyhot or something like that help?
  • KimbersNewLife
    KimbersNewLife Posts: 645 Member
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    Bengay and Icyhot does not help me. But ice and tylenol and unfortuately rest does. I know that's the last thing u want to .:wink: Also when you start back be sure to stretch well that keeps me from getting them hope u feel better really soon I know how bad they hurt! Ouch!:cry::cry:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    along with what was said above...stretch your calves really well before and after any exercise

    Yes, and also your anterior tibialis. Here's a good article for you to check out!

    http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/help-for-shin-splints
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    i use "icy hot". it does help my muscles, but not my shin pain. i would start with the shoes. people tell me to go to a specialty store so someone can watch how you run and recommend the right shoe for you. do you strike heel to toe or do you run on the ball of your feet. someone here recommended chirunning to me and i'm still going through the website, but i would like to run on the treadmill w/o pain because it's getting colder and i will want to run sometimes, not just the elliptical.

    http://www.chirunning.com/shop/home.php

    i also did strength training leg exercise before running on the treadmill and that helped for a minute, then i was right back to pain.

    what speed are you running at on the treadmill?

    running outside is the only thing that eliminated the shin pain for me, i don't get it. all the best to you, i know and feel your pain. hope you find something that works.
  • Fuhgeddaboudit
    Fuhgeddaboudit Posts: 88
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    Okay... so maybe I'm slow.... but how do you stretch that part of your leg? :blushing:
  • reneeot
    reneeot Posts: 773 Member
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    I run on a treadmill at a 1% incline (to make it more like outside.)

    I know it's muscular... would bengay or iceyhot or something like that help?

    sure rub that in while doing this...Triggerpoints.
    ( do this 3x a week for the rest of the month)
    http://saveyourself.ca/articles/perfect-spots/spot-03-tibialis-anterior.php

    To prevent reocurrance after you have healed. Do a treatment 1 or 2x a month.

    :-)
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-241-286-289-12604-0,00.html

    search shin pain on runnersworld, they have exercises and articles on this subject.
  • lt3ag4s
    lt3ag4s Posts: 835 Member
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    You are just going to keep feeling the pain until you let them heal.
    Try doing eliptical or bicycle for awhile.

    The key to not getting them is to stretch and warm up . Iceyhot will help you warm up faster. Walk for 5 mins at 3mph or faster before running.

    Shorten your stride and increase your cadence.

    Once you start feeling any shin pain stop running you are just going to make it worse.
  • elmct57
    elmct57 Posts: 594 Member
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    Check with your doctor.
    Shannon Clark also posted some good advice:

    Start Stretching More

    One big reason athletes suffer from this injury is due to not warming up properly and performing regularly stretching activities. It's in your best interest to take ten minutes before and after each exercise that involves running to be sure you stretch all the ligaments and tendons that surround the shin bone.

    Apply Ice Regularly

    Next, it's important to get a jump on your efforts to treat shin splints immediately upon experiencing pain.

    To do so, once the pain has been realized, begin placing ice on the affected area for up to twenty minutes, four times a day.

    Keep doing this until you can feel the pain residing or have been instructed to stop by your doctor.

    While you can apply heat as well, you should only do so starting at least one week from when the pain has begun. Heat is going to increase the blood-flow to the area, which can increase healing, but if inflammation is still present, only ice should be used.

    Perform Shin Strengthening Exercises

    Next up on your list to treat shin splints is performing shin strengthening exercises. A good one to start with is simply sitting on the floor, legs straight out in front of you. Hook a resistance tubing band around your feet and then slowly flex feet towards the shin bone and then relax. Repeat this process twenty times to complete one set and try and perform two to four sets total.

    Check Your Running Form

    Finally, the last way you should treat shin splints that many runners unfortunately forget about is checking the running form you use.

    This is potentially the most critical treatment method because if there is a problem with your running form and it is not solved, those shin splints will just be back at a later date.

    You may wish to consult a professional on this topic as many times it's hard to fully determine what you might be doing wrong. If that's not an option, you could have someone video tape you so you can see yourself from an 'outside' perspective, as that may be enough as well to reveal any big problems that are currently happening.
  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
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    I used to get shin splints really bad when I ran cross country in middle school, and even got them for a while after I stopped. However, I run at least 3 miles a day now and have not had any problems. The difference is now I make sure that I am warming up and cooling down for a substantial amount of time. Half mile warm up, half mile cool down is my recommendation. it might seem excessive, but I have no shin pain and I just think of it as extra calories burned!

    (PS- I haven't read all of the recommendation on here, but if it hasn't been said yet, I recommend only doing static stretches after your cool down. To stretch before your warm up, try knee, hip, and arm circles and even some jumping jacks.)

    OH- And regarding your ACTUAL question (making them feel better) I would do a good stretch work out and then go sit in a nice hot bath. That's what always made me feel better :)
  • carolww
    carolww Posts: 143 Member
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    If you have shin splints, then I really feel your pain. This year I had them and I have to say they took a good 10 weeks to heal properly. At their worst I was even finding it painful to walk. Stretching and you might also want to try massaging them, you can do this yourself though its quite painful, but you will be able to feel the knots and ease them out. It helps for sure.
  • Fit4Vet
    Fit4Vet Posts: 610 Member
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    I had the most debilitating shin splints ever for over 2 months (maybe 3). They aren't completely gone (oh how I wish), but they are bearable as long as I don't run more than a mile or 2 at a time. I'm working on slowly increasing my mileage this time.

    I'll try to keep a long story short (which is hard for me) & say that I got them by 1)wrong-bad shoes, & 2) increasing my mileage too fast FOR ME.

    Here's what makes them feel better: Several times a day & before you run, trace the ABCs with your toe while sitting on the side of the desk, couch, bed (leg in the air tracing). Tigerbalm before a run. Tigerbalm is the best! Then RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevate) afterwards. Lay on the floor with your legs up the wall. All this stuff helps. (legal clause - never ace wrap after tigerbalming). Also, compression knee socks & Leg Stretching & Strengthing (Yoga Warrior routines help me better).

    Now, me, I tried to continue my training schedule. Wasn't happening. I was 'bout 1 breath away from ER pain - ready to give up running. By the time I finally got smart, I was hurting all over every time I ran - it's all about resting an injury & if you are going to run, you have to realize there are going to be times that you just *can't* train. I had to give my legs 2 weeks with no running before the pain was bearable when I run. As a matter of fact, I just started running again a week or so ago.

    Good Luck & HTH. Been there, done that, feel your pain. :sad:
    P.S. Cross train, Cross train, Cross train! I bike & now, swim on my non-running days & do a short yoga every day.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    I used to get shin splints all the time. After seeing a Dr. Oz episode I found that I was jogging wrong. I started jogging on the front balls of my feet and that improved my overall balance. Eventually that made the shin splints disappear completely.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    bump

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