Shin Splints

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EZGruv
EZGruv Posts: 215 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Shin splints are obviously nature's way of telling me to go back to cycling and stop trying to be a runner. :mad:

Once upon a time I was a Valet Attendant, and basically ran for a living. I distinctly recall going through shin splints when I began that job, but through constant repitition and a lot of medication I battled through it; eventually to the point the pain went away and stayed away.
Now that I have begun running again (treadmill), the splints come back after 8-10 minutes of jogging. I've been consistently jogging on the treadmill for quite a while now, and they just persist.

Demoralizing for sure.

Next steps will be new shoes and orthotics. Maybe they will help better than all the stretching/foam rolling/medication.

[/rant]

Replies

  • 8JamieLeigh8
    8JamieLeigh8 Posts: 14
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    I am having this problem too. I am trying to train for my first 5K. I run through the pain and when its over my shin's just throb. It is very frustrating wanting to do something so bad and something like this to hold us back! ARG!!!
  • girliegirl1822
    girliegirl1822 Posts: 164 Member
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    I get them all the time and just try to suffer thru them it sucks.
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
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    Point your toes and write out the alphabet with the tips of your toes... repeat 3 times (or as much as you can until your feet cramp)... I had HORRIBLE shin splits, but this has about squashed them for good!
  • Kris1974
    Kris1974 Posts: 18
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    I was having major problems with my shins and my calf on my left leg, hurting so bad the pain actually made me nauseous (sp)
    I thought maybe it was just because I was out of shape but the more I worked out the more intense the pain got. So I went out and bought a new pair of shoes (saucony's) and what a HUGE difference. The pain I was getting before was gone it was such a relief I still can't believe a pair of shoes could cause so much pain. So you might want to try purchasing new shoes first.
    Good Luck
  • fantm
    fantm Posts: 87 Member
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    I'm suffering from these too. I ran the timed mile on Monday since my legs were feeling good, but I paid the price and the shin splints are raging afterwards. I guess I'm not meant to be a runner either. It takes weeks for the pain to go away, but just one run will put me back in agony again. Drives me crazy.
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
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    Have you been properly fitted in a pair of running shoes? If not, I highly suggest you do that. Don't just go to Sports Authority or ****s Sporting Goods. Go to a running store where they measure your feet, look at your old shoes for wear, evaluate your arch, etc. They will have you run on a treadmill and will watch your gait. Then they put you in the right shoe. It really does make a difference.
  • gr8chick
    gr8chick Posts: 11 Member
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    I have a friend that started running last summer, and she had terrible shin splints. Then she finally bought herself some "running" shoes, and then she slowed her pace. She was running with her hubby that had her running trails. Plus, she was trying to keep pace with him, and he has a long stride. She was very discouraged. But then she and I started using the Couch 2 5k program, and she is now up to running 45 -50 minutes straight and no shin splints! I really think she was just running too hard, and too fast. I hope ya'll keep trying, and are able to keep running. I LOVE running, and it's the one activity that gives me the best results! I wish you all the best of luck!!
  • emilysebastian
    emilysebastian Posts: 245 Member
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    Absolutely look into new shoes!!! All the ACTUAL runners I know (not like me, just starting and barely getting two miles in on the TM in 25 mins) and the doc I go to have said this is 90% of every runner who gets shin splints problem (the other 10% is stretching and over-exertion!). But don't just look into and buy new shoes--go to a store that specializes in running shoes and get fitted. A good place should at least measure your feet, watch you run, and try on SEVERAL pairs of shoes. And if they are really good, they won't try to sell you on the expensive ones, but rather those that will help the most. And, running can really turn into an expensive sport, as I've heard you should only run on the same shoes for about 6 months (I'm hoping that's for long distance runners and mine will last at least a year :happy:).

    There are also lots of strengthening exercises you can do to help your calf muscles (which helps prevent the splints)--just Google "preventing shin splints" and you'll find tons! Oh--and sweetheart's recommendation to write the alphabet is one of them!!!
  • EZGruv
    EZGruv Posts: 215 Member
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    Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I'm going to add you as friends so we can suffer together. LOL

    Looks like I'll be hitting the running shoe store soon!
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
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    I used to have HORRIBLE shin splints when I was in the military and running about 30+ miles a week. They got so bad that I took about 2400mg of ibuprofin daily just so I could walk. The Army's take on it was that I was just trying to get out of running LOL.

    Anyway, not until years later did I discover a stretch that helped a lot with them.

    1. Stand with your back against a wall
    2. Slide your feet out, so they are together, but about 6-8 inches from the wall
    3. Flex the foot and try to point the toes back towards your body
    4. Do about 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps before running

    While it didn't prevent them completely, it did reduce the pain when I got them by about 90% and I got them much less often if I did the stretch before every run.
  • emilysebastian
    emilysebastian Posts: 245 Member
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    1. Stand with your back against a wall
    2. Slide your feet out, so they are together, but about 6-8 inches from the wall
    3. Flex the foot and try to point the toes back towards your body
    4. Do about 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps before running

    While it didn't prevent them completely, it did reduce the pain when I got them by about 90% and I got them much less often if I did the stretch before every run.

    I do these, too! These and writing the alphabet (after a good pair of shoes, of course) have kept my splints away or barely existent. I do both before and after each run.
  • Rappla88
    Rappla88 Posts: 185 Member
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    I used to have HORRIBLE shin splints when I was in the military and running about 30+ miles a week. They got so bad that I took about 2400mg of ibuprofin daily just so I could walk. The Army's take on it was that I was just trying to get out of running LOL.

    Anyway, not until years later did I discover a stretch that helped a lot with them.

    1. Stand with your back against a wall
    2. Slide your feet out, so they are together, but about 6-8 inches from the wall
    3. Flex the foot and try to point the toes back towards your body
    4. Do about 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps before running

    While it didn't prevent them completely, it did reduce the pain when I got them by about 90% and I got them much less often if I did the stretch before every run.

    Thanks for the stretch! I've just started expierencing pain in my shins while doing the P90x plyometics....and I guess that's what it is!! I'm going to try this before my next plyo workout and see if it helps.... this is my second round of the program and I never had the problem before!!!
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
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    Hopefully it helps!

    I always thought of shin splints as an overuse, or overexertion injury, but then I came across that stretch and was told that they were more akin to an under-preparation strain. Certainly in my experience prepping for running with that stretch made a huge difference.
  • CombatVet_Armywife
    CombatVet_Armywife Posts: 300 Member
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    I recently recovered from the same issue, it lasted for about 3 months....and my main exercise was running on the treadmill. Hubby suggested I buy new shoes, I did, noticed a slight change, and after about 3 weeks, the splints were gone. I've also heard of stretching exercises that will help with them. Like rotating your foot in a circle, one direction then the other, and flexing your foot up then down. Repeat.

    Hope you find relief soon....it's no fun, for sure!
  • harleyquinn1504
    harleyquinn1504 Posts: 45 Member
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    I got shin splints when I first started running. I skate a lot and just figured it was from trying to do something new too hard and too fast. I'd wait a few days till the pain went away, then cut my run down to a half a mile a few days, and then the next week bumped it up another quarter mile. My lungs were ok with the running, by my shins had to catch up. I had the proper running shoes, so mine was totally my body not being ready to commit to longer runs.

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