Help with Shin Splints

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  • LauraMarie37
    LauraMarie37 Posts: 283 Member
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    Warming up, cooling down, pausing, stretching, and ice.

    Walk before you run, always. Try for 5 minutes or a quarter mile.
    If your legs start to hurt really badly during a run, stop and stretch your shins. I take a lunge position, but then straighten out my front leg pointing strong through my toe.
    After you run, cool down. Walk 5 minutes or a quarter mile. Then go through you static stretches, featuring lots of toe points.
    The next big thing: ice your shins! It relieves the pain a lot and makes me feel oodles better during my next run. Take a ibuprofen if you need to.

    Other than that, watch your form. You're probably heel striking to hard, which causes shin splints (and can be from improper form and/or running on too ahrd of surfaces). Trying lifting up more on your toes. It will be difficult and feel strange at first, but it's easier on your shin.


    If you didn't know, shin splints are caused by your calf basically overworking your shin muscles. Your calf is a large, strong muscle. Your shin is not. When you run and lead forward with your heel, this is flexing your shin, causing it to work hard and contract like crazy. By running further forward on your foot, your shin contracts less.


    Good luck!

    However, if you run (or jump, or do anything with impact) without fully putting down your heel, you are actually making your calf work harder because only when your heel is on the ground can your calf muscle relax. It would be like walking around on half-toe all the time - it would be a crazy hard workout on your calf.

    So, try not to heel strike as hard, but DO be sure to put your heel down.
  • GameOn2011
    GameOn2011 Posts: 73 Member
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    A lot of good advice...stretching and consistently stretching have always worked for me, combined with good shoes (maybe try a different pair-look into a sporting goods store and check their return policies). I have been a runner for the past 10 years and as long I stretch my calves I am good to go. I haven't had shin splints since running track in high school! And I did have a bad experience with with a pair of shoes...I have found a brand I LOVE and have never looked back.

    Good luck!
  • anthonybreaux
    anthonybreaux Posts: 5
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    Last I heard, there are some 18 theories on what causes shin splints. I personally subscribe to theory #18, that there are at least 17 things that can cause these same symptoms.

    In no particular order, the easiest fix is that your shoes may not be right or properly fitted for you. Go to a good athletic shoe store, I like New Balance but your mileage may vary, explain the problem and see what they recommend. They may suggest orthotics, or even different orthotics for each foot. Try them out in the store. If that is the problem you may experience immediate relief.

    Others have covered stretching and warmups.

    We all saw our doctors before starting our weight loss program, right? And he did a full blood workup, right? Check your lab work and see if any of your electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, & magnesium), are near the low end of the range. If so consider a supplement.

    For that matter, a good multi-vitamin/mineral is a good idea, losing weight or no.
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
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    Thank you all soo much! This is a lot of info to digest lol

    I am going to try the stretches and exercises (I do stretch, but not all these particular ones).

    I also think I might get an eval from a Physical Therapist. I think I run fine, but I could have horrible form and not even know it. I did have a basic work-up done and had a full physical less than a year ago.
  • STARG1RL
    STARG1RL Posts: 44 Member
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    Massaging the Tibialis Anterior muscle (the musle on the mid-outer part of your lower leg) after your runs, may help too, along with all of the stretches, ice, etc that the other MFPers have mentioned, good luck :wink: I'm almost done with my Massage Therapy program, woohoo!
  • gooteek
    gooteek Posts: 64
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    Laying on the floor and putting your toes under the couch, then trying to lift up the couch (probably will not be able to) helps to stretch and strengthen the shins for me.

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