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Shin splint: should I completely stop running?

Rooooose
Rooooose Posts: 149 Member
edited February 8 in Fitness and Exercise
Started doing interval training 3 weeks ago and now I have shin splints. :( I've been running for quite some time about 10k in 55 minutes and never had this problem before. Should I completely stop running now or can I still go at least once a week for a run? I don't want to start all over again so are there other cardio exercises I can do to replace running maybe?

Replies

  • shawn1112
    shawn1112 Posts: 94 Member
    I had shin splints about 2 months ago, took about 3 weeks to go away. At the time I was running outdoors 5-6 days a week. I scaled it back to 2 times a week on a treadmill, but still went for 3 mile walks almost daily.
  • Heronimos
    Heronimos Posts: 26 Member
    First of all. How do you know it are shin-splints?? I have been treated 8 years for shin splints to find out I had compartent syndrome :)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartment_syndrome#Chronic_compartment_syndrome
    surgical intervention did help a lot, but not to start running again.. therefore.. The Kickbike.

    But lets be optimistic and just see it a short overload of you musles.
    I think taking a rest is good. You don't have to start again after 10 day's of rest.
    Option is spinning or biking as a alternative. As long a you don't feel your shines.

    Better a short total rest as a long time chronic injury.

    This advice is very wise: (sorry is in Dutch)
    Nagenoeg geen terugval bij korte stop

    Na een griep ben je na weer 3 weken getraind te hebben weer bijna de oude. Waarom dan na het voelen van een pijntje een paar dagen of 1 week niet lopen en dan geen blessure krijgen in plaats van een langdurige en slepende periode van blessure-ellende? Na een paar dagen of 1 weekje niet lopen heb je helemaal niet zo'n terugval in conditie . Je loopt dan weer blessurevrij en met plezier. Toch beter dan maanden van ellende of te moeten stoppen met lopen, nietwaar?
    www.runningsupport.nl

    And good shoes are very, very important!
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    Shin splints - ice 20 mins, off and on for 1-2 days, then use heat. Wait until you're healed before running again, it's not good to keep stressing the injury.

    It could just be overworked, or it could also be due to having the wrong type of shoes for yourself. Go to a store that sells orthodics and have them help you find the best thing for you to run with.
  • Cella30
    Cella30 Posts: 539 Member
    I had shin splits when I first started running and my brother gave me the best advice. (This is in addition to stretching well!) Take a rolling pin and roll it up and down along the tendon just on the right side of your shin. I do about 10 rolls before and after my run... ended up completely clearing it up. How it works for you too! :)
  • MGreensides
    MGreensides Posts: 173 Member
    Stop running??? NEVER!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    First of all. How do you know it are shin-splints?? I have been treated 8 years for shin splints to find out I had compartent syndrome :)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartment_syndrome#Chronic_compartment_syndrome
    surgical intervention did help a lot, but not to start running again.. therefore.. The Kickbike.

    But lets be optimistic and just see it a short overload of you musles.
    I think taking a rest is good. You don't have to start again after 10 day's of rest.
    Option is spinning or biking as a alternative. As long a you don't feel your shines.

    Better a short total rest as a long time chronic injury.

    This advice is very wise: (sorry is in Dutch)
    Nagenoeg geen terugval bij korte stop

    Na een griep ben je na weer 3 weken getraind te hebben weer bijna de oude. Waarom dan na het voelen van een pijntje een paar dagen of 1 week niet lopen en dan geen blessure krijgen in plaats van een langdurige en slepende periode van blessure-ellende? Na een paar dagen of 1 weekje niet lopen heb je helemaal niet zo'n terugval in conditie . Je loopt dan weer blessurevrij en met plezier. Toch beter dan maanden van ellende of te moeten stoppen met lopen, nietwaar?
    www.runningsupport.nl

    And good shoes are very, very important!

    34461d1385487296-super-computing-2013-scratch-head01-idea-animated-animation-smiley-emoticon-000414-large.gif



    Here's a good post on the issue. In English.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/322021-help-with-your-shin-splints?hl=help+with+your+shin+splints
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    I had them, or perhaps a stress fracture (was never determined) badly enough to it affect my walking for a few days (was on crutches for one) - my doctor told me 6 weeks off high-impact exercise. I got them straight back after that so waited another EIGHT weeks, and had to use a treadmill for a while after that to get back into running! People here seem to suggest a lot less, though, so maybe my case was just a bit more extreme. Just make sure you do rest up for at least a few days, don't up your capacity too soon after resting i.e. ease into it, and don't run through the pain if it's consistent (I did those last few things and paid for it...now I leave it at least a week if I start to get shin pain!)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I would also recommend going to a doctor who has a background or specializes in fitness. Many doctors will give you the answer of "just stop" when that isn't always necessary (this advice is from the head of my running club, who is also a doctor). My own doctor did but I didn't have a choice so I ran through them.

    (not saying this is the case for the person above, it just reminded me)
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    I would also recommend going to a doctor who has a background or specializes in fitness. Many doctors will give you the answer of "just stop" when that isn't always necessary (this advice is from the head of my running club, who is also a doctor). My own doctor did but I didn't have a choice so I ran through them.

    (not saying this is the case for the person above, it just reminded me)

    I wish I had seen someone with a fitness background! However, it was a consistent problem for me since that first time I decided to run through them instead of stopping on a 10k so I think I might have turned shin splints into a stress fracture, increasing the healing time. Standard shin splints heal up more quickly, I believe.
  • celtbell3
    celtbell3 Posts: 738 Member
    As you wait in recovery, you can do deep water running to stay in shape and continue conditioning..
This discussion has been closed.

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