Shin Splints

hollie894 · July 2015

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice from my MFP running friends!

I'm currently training for my first half marathon (god help me) and running between 15-20k per week (2 x short runs and 1 x long run) as well as a session of yoga if I can fit it in!

I recently bought a new pair of running trainers & did 10k in them no problem, it wasn't until I went back to the gym a few days later I realized my whole little toe on my left foot was one big blister (ouch), I managed about 2k before I called it a day as it was really bloody sore (I'm a wuss I know).

However since then I've had chronic pain in the shin of my right leg, it's not as bad as it was however I was almost at the point of struggling to walk.

So, questions!

1. Is this the result of my new trainers or have I been unintentionally trying to over compensate for my mammoth blister? I realize shin splints are a sign of you 'slapping' your feet as your running however only doing 2k would this effect me this much?

2. What exercise can I do in the meantime? I'm going crazy not being able to run and paranoid it's going to derail me from my training, I know it won't and it's best to let it heal properly to avoid any further damage, but I need to do something! Would swimming be alright?

3. I'm in pain when I wear flat shoes and find the most comfort in wearing a heel, I know this is totally crazy but I'm assuming the angle and stretch of my legs when I have them on is easing the pain, am I making things worse?

I've been elevating my leg when I can and putting an ice compress on when it's particularly sore but aside from that i'm not too sure what else I can do? I like to run on a treadmill to keep track of my pace etc and I live in Scotland so getting to run outside is a luxury as we're not renowned for our great weather, however i'm wondering if running outside may be the best option going forward?

Any advice is appreciated and please don't be to harsh on me, this is my first half marathon, I'm not a runner by any means!

x

IsaackGMOON · July 2015

All you can do is rest. Don't run until your shin splints are completely gone otherwise you risk prolonging recovery or making them worse.

With the trainers you purchased, did you have your gait analysed and then had them picked out for you? Most people can get away with a pair of generic trainers (me for one), but some people need to get some which fit their feet.

Follow the PRICE method; Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate..

Also OP, what is your foot strike? Mid foot, toe or heel?

Rimfakse · July 2015

Hi!
Here you get find some advises concerning shin splints. I've run nearly everyday for the last three months and experience sometimes pain in my shins, but it's always temporary, and I guess it's because I push myself a bit too hard. In your case, it might be because of the new shoes?
What about spinning instead of running?
I live in Northern Norway and the weather is usually not great either (9C and low clouds right now...hooray for summer), but I run mostly outside, on the road. Still, it gives me more variation than running on a treadmill (which I find extremely boring). To keep track of your pace you can use a running app like Runtastic and the like.

hollie894 · July 2015

Hi,

Yes I had my gait analysed and have a slight stability running shoe run4it.com/Brooks-Ravenna-6-Stability-Running-Shoes-p/vmp2015031915280373.htm

Foot strike is predominantly heel however I tend to underpronate when running!

Thanks for your advice, I guess I'm not running for the next few weeks

!

mudmonkeyonwheels · July 2015

Cycling is definitely a good alternative to help keep cardio fitness up without the impact but keep stretching your quads because cycling tends to shorten them which can make running after a break a bit painful! I have a tendency towards shin splits due to some health problems but I find running with compression sleeves on my lower legs helpful. It takes some of the pressure off the tendons and ligaments which is thought to help reduce the chance of shin splits recurring.

MeanderingMammal · July 2015

hollie894 wrote: »

I'm currently training for my first half marathon (god help me) and running between 15-20k per week (2 x short runs and 1 x long run) as well as a session of yoga if I can fit it in!

So that looks like it's very early in the plan, when is the race and how long have you been running up until now?

I recently bought a new pair of running trainers & did 10k in them no problem, it wasn't until I went back to the gym a few days later I realized my whole little toe on my left foot was one big blister (ouch), I managed about 2k before I called it a day as it was really bloody sore (I'm a wuss I know).

However since then I've had chronic pain in the shin of my right leg, it's not as bad as it was however I was almost at the point of struggling to walk.

So I'd say that you need to think about the two issues separately. The blister could be the new shoes or combination of shoes and socks. If you didn't notice the blister for a few days after the 10K I'd say something else caused it.

To deal with the shin pain, it could be any one of a range of things. Personally I find shin splints feel like someone stabbing a knife in the muscle and waggling it around, but you could be seeing an early indicator.

There are different causes, including the shoes being inappropriate, muscular imbalance between the front and back of the lower leg, existing damage or overstriding. First off, let the pain ease, then treat it. To address each of those:

Overstriding - Aim for a short, quick step with a high cadence, and land on the forward foot under or marginally in front of your centre of mass. That reduces the rotational loads on the lower leg, which lead to the injury
Muscular imbalance - Generally a weaker shin muscle. You can alleviate that by lifting a sandbag with your toes, or lifting the toes against a resistance band. Your preference for heels suggests that this is more likely, as it can lead to an artificial lengthening of the shin muscle. Cycling with toes clipped into the pedals can help with this, concentrating on pedalling in circles, rather than pumping up and down.
Shoes - It's unusual to underpronate and require a stability shoe. Not unheard of, but unusual. You might want to go back to the store and try for an exchange.
Given that you admit to running on a dreadmill, do you incline it? If you do, that probably contributes.

I've been elevating my leg when I can and putting an ice compress on when it's particularly sore but aside from that i'm not too sure what else I can do? I like to run on a treadmill to keep track of my pace etc and I live in Scotland so getting to run outside is a luxury as we're not renowned for our great weather, however i'm wondering if running outside may be the best option going forward?

You live in Scotland and you CHOOSE to run in a gym. What kind of philistine are you!!!!!

If you're running in a half marathon, get outside, train in the real. If you want to track pace etc, try using a phone app: Endomondo, Strava, Runkeeper or get a GPS tracking watch.

cheshirecatastrophe · July 2015

Swimming is also good cross-training. If you have pool access, have you tried pool running? It's wretchedly boring, but it's the best substitute to road running. Look up some YouTube videos for instructions, and make sure you push yourself!

As far as the shin splints go--yeah, it's possible your form shifted slightly in how you put weight on that leg due to the blister (the "little toe IS a blister" is a problem I have, too, btw). Best things to do are rest, stretch your calf, and work on some gentle calf strengthening exercises with a towel. Although I wouldn't do any strengthening stuff if it hurts when you're at *rest*, too.

Is the pain all over your shin/a few inches in surface area, or isolated to a single spot? Has the area that hurts gotten smaller/more concentrated, or just less painful?

hollie894 · July 2015

Hi everyone, thanks for all your comments!

The half marathon isn't until the end of September so I think I have plenty of time to train… hopefully.

I didn't notice my blister straight away however I've not been wearing closed in shoes, it's got to over 13degrees in Scotland so summer is here and I've been wearing sandals! We tend to go straight from winter to summer and back to winter again! I'm in the north east so we have the lovey breeze from the North Sea to contend with... I shouldn't say too much as I may scare the summer away…

There's a pool at my gym actually so I may give that a shot!

The pain is central on my shin and as MeanderingMammal said, feels like I’m being stabbed! If I walk for a short period of time at the moment (in flat shoes) it seems to really anger it and I can feel the pain going down my shin, a slight heel helps a lot when walking however I’m in an office job so it's not too much of a problem to rest it during the day.

Cycling may also be an option instead of running, I get a bit twitchy when I've not done any exercise in a few days, I genuinely fear that all the lbs I've lost will magically appear again and I'll be back to square 1, almost impossible I know but I still feel guilty!

I've recently bought a Fitbit so I am gearing up to start running outside, this will be the longest distance I’ve ran, I've taken part in the annual 10k race we have here for the last 5 years so have dabbled in running for a while but never committed to it as I used to not enjoy it.

Going from road running to the treadmill actually helped me develop a liking for running as I found the reason I struggled so much was that I was running too fast! I would go running with my husband who's very fit and has ran marathons before, however I was trying to keep to his pace which was just unsustainable for me, he can do a 10k in under 40 mins where as I’m delighted if I get under 60!

photojunk · July 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhKZ-cmSt4

I was dealing with shin splints for over a year, tried everything. Then i found the video i linked and worked hard my shin splints recovered and i was able to run 10k with zero shin pain. Foam roller, stretching, work on dorsi flexion and strengthening.
I have had two months off running due to a broken ankle, i'm expecting that when i start running again in a few months that i will have to combat my shin splints again but i'm 100% confident i can get rid of them quickly this time around

MeanderingMammal · July 2015

hollie894 wrote: »

Going from road running to the treadmill actually helped me develop a liking for running as I found the reason I struggled so much was that I was running too fast! I would go running with my husband who's very fit and has ran marathons before, however I was trying to keep to his pace which was just unsustainable for me, he can do a 10k in under 40 mins where as I’m delighted if I get under 60!

I've only been running just over two years myself, but if I'm going out with someone significantly slower than me, I'll ease back the pace to avoid them hating it. Even if that means having a second run myself to get some more miles in.

hollie894 · July 2015

Photojunk, that video is great thanks for sharing! I have a foam roller which has become my new best friend and I've been converted into a believer in yoga (I thought it was a bit of a fad before I actually tried it), so I'm hoping with more stretching and strengthening I won’t end up with a recurring problem!

MeanderingMammal, I actually hated running up until the start of the year, I always went out with my husband or we’d go to the gym together and again I’d try to match his pace. I’d get so tired and out of breath so quickly it was just torture, I kept on thinking ‘people do this for fun it’ll come, it’ll get easier’ but it didn’t! It’s not until he went away for work earlier this year, I went out by myself, slowed down my pace and it’s actually transformed the way I feel about running! My last 10K I ran was a PB and I ran it on my own! I wouldn’t say I love it now but I love seeing and feeling myself improve and having the strength and stamina to go further, not necessarily faster though.

He’s also entered the half marathon with me however is unsure if he’s going to run to my pace!

MeanderingMammal · July 2015

hollie894 wrote: »

My last 10K I ran was a PB and I ran it on my own! I wouldn’t say I love it now but I love seeing and feeling myself improve and having the strength and stamina to go further, not necessarily faster though.

Glad it's coming together. It's fairly common on here for people to go out too fast and only start getting it when they ease back the pace a bit. I used to try too hard, for too long and ended up injuring myself in the space of a week.

As far as the HM is concerned, if you use an established plan you should be fine in terms of getting there.

You will find that you'll push a bit harder on race day, but I'd agree that your husband is unlikely to hang about, given a 40min 10K.

hollie894 · July 2015

How long do you recommend staying off my feet for?

I’ve been swimming and doing yoga, it’s still niggling a little but not near as bad as it was.

I’m very conscious about my HM and that I’ll lose a couple of weeks training, do you think this will set me back?

Shin Splints

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