Has this happened to you?

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  • xjgirl94
    xjgirl94 Posts: 64 Member
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    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    missbishop1015 wrote: »
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    Could be a variety of things. Easiest diagnosis would be shinsplints (see below), followed by tendinitis (rest), then stress fracture (doctor).

    1) The running shoes pick the runner. Have you been fitted by a bonafide running store? Zigzags are NOT running shoes. They are for something else, but definitely not "serious" running. I wouldn't run to the mailbox in them.
    2) Are you running at an easy, conversational pace?
    3) What is your cadence like? Should be turning over 180-190 times per min.
    4) Stride length? Are you crashing on your heels? Try transitioning to forefoot striking. It will naturally increase your cadence and decrease the impact time while adjusting your center of gravity and allowing you to have a springier bounce forward to your next step.

    What does cadence mean?

    How many steps you take per minute. The 180-190 is both feet. 190 is a little high, but the sweet spot is in the 180s. It's a little more work at first, but once your muscles get used to it, your joints and shins will thank you.

    I really aint too sure, like for instance if I ran a mile half of it I walk and half of it I run. I run around a big square pretty much so I walk from one stop sign to the next then run till I get to the next stop sign then walk and so on and I do a mile in a little over 14 minutes
  • RosieWest8
    RosieWest8 Posts: 185 Member
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    You should stop running if you have any kind of pain while doing it. Over-use injuries are common when beginning a running regimen and they can snowball into big problems if you ignore them. For the time being, try to switch to a low impact cardio work out while you figure out what's going on.

    You still didn't really specifically describe your pain - is it the front or back of your 'ankles'? If it's the back near your heel then it could be your Achilles tendon. If it's the front then shin splints or compartment syndrome are more likely. Any of that requires rest and time to heal before beginning again. Slow and steady wins the race when running.

    Also, if you plan on continuing to use running/jogging as your main cardio exercise you definitely need to get a pair of dedicated running shoes that you only use for running. Get fitted at a running store and keep track of how many miles you put on them. Your current shoes might be comfortable to you but if they are the culprit of your pains then it's not worth it. If you go to a running store they will give you advice on what shoes to get.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    Before everyone jumps to shin splints...

    Where exactly is the pain? Is it on the inside or the outside of your leg.

    This started happening to me a few months ago on the outside of my right leg, from the ankle to just above the calf. It feels like needles are stabbing me now when I run. I can't even make it 400m before it starts.

    I thought it was shin splints, but it's compartment syndrome. I hoped that with rest it would go away, but it hasn't. The only way to fix it is with surgery. Sucks.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    missbishop1015 wrote: »
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    missbishop1015 wrote: »
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    Could be a variety of things. Easiest diagnosis would be shinsplints (see below), followed by tendinitis (rest), then stress fracture (doctor).

    1) The running shoes pick the runner. Have you been fitted by a bonafide running store? Zigzags are NOT running shoes. They are for something else, but definitely not "serious" running. I wouldn't run to the mailbox in them.
    2) Are you running at an easy, conversational pace?
    3) What is your cadence like? Should be turning over 180-190 times per min.
    4) Stride length? Are you crashing on your heels? Try transitioning to forefoot striking. It will naturally increase your cadence and decrease the impact time while adjusting your center of gravity and allowing you to have a springier bounce forward to your next step.

    What does cadence mean?

    How many steps you take per minute. The 180-190 is both feet. 190 is a little high, but the sweet spot is in the 180s. It's a little more work at first, but once your muscles get used to it, your joints and shins will thank you.

    I really aint too sure, like for instance if I ran a mile half of it I walk and half of it I run. I run around a big square pretty much so I walk from one stop sign to the next then run till I get to the next stop sign then walk and so on and I do a mile in a little over 14 minutes

    Cadence doesn't have anything to do with how fast or slow you're running. It's about how many steps you take per minute. Basically, what's going to happen is that your feet are going to fall closer together (your stride is shorter). Your steps will be small instead of big.

    To get an idea, try listening to songs that have 180 beats per minute, and have a foot land on every beat. This will get you used to the cadence you should be running at (regardless of how fast or slow you go).

    Here's a website with a list of songs:

    http://running.about.com/od/musicforrunning/a/Running-Songs-At-180-Bpm.htm

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