Shin splints?

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daniellerprescott
daniellerprescott Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started going back to the gym last week...combo of walking and bike. I also took two long walks with my dog this weekend but my shins are killing me! I do stretch my legs often but I am not sure what is causing this? What helps? Will it heal?
Any help would be appreciated...
Danielle:grumble:

Replies

  • daniellerprescott
    daniellerprescott Posts: 13
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    I just started going back to the gym last week...combo of walking and bike. I also took two long walks with my dog this weekend but my shins are killing me! I do stretch my legs often but I am not sure what is causing this? What helps? Will it heal?
    Any help would be appreciated...
    Danielle:grumble:
  • jilly30
    jilly30 Posts: 43
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    I HATE shin splints, they are so painful:angry: If I get these I just sit in a really hot tub & use Icy hot. It just has to take it's course. Good luck ; )
  • diannholland1965
    diannholland1965 Posts: 782 Member
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    CALCIUM! Milk, Cheese, Yogurt. or Calcium tabs.
    And pressed heat.
    I get them from time to time and these work for me.
    If they get too bad, or it lasts for more then a couple of days, you have have an injury, and need to see a Dr. :cry:
    --Diann...
  • zenmama
    zenmama Posts: 1,000
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    Also a good pair of shoes will help. I used to get them really bad then I tried a new shoe (Shocks) and I have not had them yet. Surface plays a big role into the splints as well....

    dd
  • Razboo
    Razboo Posts: 439 Member
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    From Wikipedia...

    Treatment

    The immediate treatment for shin splints is sleep. Running and other strenuous lower limb activities like football and other sports which include flexing the muscle, should be avoided until the pain subsides and is no longer elicited by activity. In conjunction with rest, anti-inflammatory treatments such as icing and drugs such as NSAIDs may be suggested by a doctor or athletic trainer, you can also take over-the-counter pain relievers such as Aspirin, though there is some controversy over their effectiveness. Some people will use acupuncture to treat shin splints though there has not been any conclusive or comprehensive study in the effects of acupuncture on shin splints.

    For more info, such as prevention...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints
  • Smilineyes
    Smilineyes Posts: 346 Member
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    ugh I used to get shin splints when I played basketball in high school and got them again when I first started running. They suck! This is what I've always done and it worked for me... rest, stretching, cold and hot rotations. Then when you go to workout wrap up your leg(s) either with ace bandage or athletic tape. If you use athletic tape, wrap around once close to the ankle then cut. Go up about an inch, wrap again once then cut, and so on up to just below the knee. Putting pressue on it relieves the pain. Also a good pair of running shoes is key! Maybe you can go to the good feet store or some other special store where they can help you find a good shoe. Hope that helps a little :smile: Good luck!

    :heart: Kelsey
  • suevittorioso
    suevittorioso Posts: 60
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    i actually get them sometimes from a rough day at work-running up and down the halls at the hospital.i've come to think that 2 things help:good shoes as already mentioned and appropriate warmup of those particular muscles.not just stretching.i think once you get them ,you need to let them heal too. they can be very bothersome otherwise.ibuprofen if that's ok with your doctor,helps if they're really bad and soaking.
  • rockymtnguy
    rockymtnguy Posts: 140
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    stay off concrete if running outdoors it is very unforgiving. as an ex track guy, I love to run strictly on the track. But the asphalt is much better to jog on then concrete.
  • laxgirl
    laxgirl Posts: 27
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    Make sure that you ice very very often. My soccer coach reccommends 15 minutes on and then about 30 minutes off, doing this for a couple of hours with any kind of muscle or joint injury. Also, it is important that you do not run or put any stress on your shins and legs for a few weeks so that they have time to heal...shin splints can lead to stress fractures and other bad leg injuries that can take months to heal (my friend had stress fracture in her shins and couldn't do more than walk for 6 months). You could view this as an opportunity to take out your bike and start getting cardio that way, but the most important thing is that the exercises you do don't strain your cause much impact to be put on your legs. Also, (I know somebody else mentioned this above) it's really important that you invest in a good pair of shoes. Any local sports store will have an expert who can help you to figure out what kind of foot you have and what kind of shoe you need. Adding onto that, if the pain doesn't stop after a month or so (or gets worse), I would reccommend that you go to see an orthopedist or podietrist (sp?) to see if you need insoles or special shoes. The MOST important things to remember are icing and rest...do not strain yourself!

    It is also really important to remember to be taking all the vitamins and minerals that you need (whether from natural sources or pills), so that your bones have the strength and nutrients to heal.

    hope this helps!
  • ariannedavis
    ariannedavis Posts: 520 Member
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    Shin splints are simply micro-tears in the connective tissue covering the bone. That's why they hurt so much! If you would like to alleviate the pain, you must treat them. Before exercising, ice massage for 5-7 minutes. This is a great tool for all of you with tendonitis issues too!

    Fill a med size dixie cup 3/4 way with water & freeze. Peel back the lip of the cup to expose the ice and rub on the affected area. The key with shin splints is to heat the tissue so that it pulls less. I know you're thinking, "then why ice masage"? Because if you do it properly, applying enough force so that the cup skips and bounces over the little bumps (that gross grinding feeling is good) then you are creating friction which heats the deeper tissue. The ice is only affecting the superficial layers providing temporary pain relief. NSAIDS (alleve or ibuprofen) are essential (see my other posts) as is stretching. Allow your toe & foot to drag behind you as you pull your leg forward. Roll your foot into different positions to feel the stretch move. Along the same lines as taping, buy neoprene sleeves. These keep the heat in and are not uncomfortable.

    Trust me, I ended up with a stress fracture in H.S. and lost a year of competing because I didn't take care of mine. Guess that's why I went into sports medicine!

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