Shin Splints

jmatthews75
jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so this whole jogging thing is really putting my body through the ringer. any one else have bad pain in the front of their shins? any real life treatments that have worked? just tired of all the crap on the internet, I know that rest and relaxation will help, but I am not going to stop working out. its just the fat me telling the skinny desire to stop so I can stay fat, thats how I am working through the pain, but what would really work?

Replies

  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    sorry buddy, got to rest em............its the impact..........take that away and keep at it, bike, ellipctical, etc...........got to give them a break though
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
    yeah, although the food dr said an eliptical is the worst exercise you can do for your body
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    12 oz curls?????????????
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
    I go for the 16oz, better workout.... lol
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    Better shoes, and better running technique.

    I used to get them all the time when I started running, but I was running in $20 Wal-Mart shoes.

    I went to a running store and got "fitted", not just a regular shoe store. The shoes were $100 Nike CrossFit 14+ or something like that.

    But now when I run, I no longer have Shin Splints. It's all about the support. Also try not to land on your heel when you run, and try to keep your feet under your hips.
  • markomark
    markomark Posts: 22
    Long compression socks help, they look like football socks. Spreads the load on the muscles so they work more efficiently and when the muscles are working better, they are taking more work away from the bones. Hope that makes sense :-S
  • Louiselesley
    Louiselesley Posts: 166 Member
    The girl on a running blog I follow recently had to take 9 weeks of from running (and she is a proper runner) from Shin Splints. Sorry to break it to you but literally you will make them worse to the point that you can't walk!

    She had to work on the bike and do other classes but definitely couldn't run.

    There is no way that ANY doctor will let you run with Shin Splint no matter how much support.
  • CassieLEO
    CassieLEO Posts: 757 Member
    I had HORRIFIC shin splints about a month or so ago. I walked around like a little old man for about a week because they hurt so bad. Heres what I did. When it first happened, I did heat, motrin and compression on them with low impact exercises. Then once they died down a bit I would sit on a couch and with each foot I would trace the alphabet with my foot in the air, pointing my toes, and do that repeatedly through out the day. That helps with the pain and strengthens that part of the leg so shin splints go away. Then, once I was ready to get back to high impact workouts, like running, jogging, or regular Zumba, I made sure I stretched out before, and then spent a long time stretching out after. I fully believe the stretching out after helped me more than anything. Hope this helps you!!!
  • mejustmichael
    mejustmichael Posts: 109 Member
    If your just starting to run chill out... do a running program like C25K thats how i started... its a free downlode Ill put a link in the bottom...

    Make sure your heal hits the ground first and you push off with the balls of your feet. (simple but everyone's biggest mistake, don't be lazy)

    Also slow down. Work on amount of time you can run first, then focus on the speed.

    Its about baby steps. take a few days off from running, then run every other day until your bones and muscles get stronger. It takes time.

    Last thing. look at your shoes and what your running on... Some gyms have shock absorption treadmills, they are amazing, if yours dosent, try a grassy field, or track with some padding.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/couch-5K-running-plan.aspx

    Hoped that helped.
  • bigfatbino
    bigfatbino Posts: 136 Member
    Shin splints. God I hate those things. The only thing that seems to work for me once they show up is to stop running and hit up the stair-master, elliptical, or a weighted-vest walkabout to substitute. That and a healthy amount of ibuprofen helps. Stretching and a good 5 minute warmup when I start my run also seems to delay the onset of them, but after one or two 3 to 5 mile runs in a week, and they show up again. I run in New Balance shoes (a holdover favorite from my military days), and beyond that, I don't really have any other tips that have helped me much. Guess it's just a matter of finding something else to do while waiting for them to go away. I hope that helps.
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member


    Make sure your heal hits the ground first and you push off with the balls of your feet. (simple but everyone's biggest mistake, don't be lazy)


    That is the single most WORST way to run.

    Here's a source:
    http://www.posetech.com/training/archives/000564.html

    Also was an article in Runners World Magazine, which is linked in the article.
  • derynb
    derynb Posts: 22 Member
    My hubby is a personal trainer to a rugby player who suffered from terrible shin splints and he didn't have the option of just stopping so he put him on a regular exercise regime which included lots of calf raises and toe presses, after two of three weeks the shin splints vanished and they haven't come back, he swears by them.
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    I used to suffer terribly from shin splints but would just run through them until I couldn't take the pain. All this rubbish about resting up never helped me. It seems to be the answer to everything now but I can feel my body getting out of shape when I do that. Anyway, I went out and bought a £100 pair of Asics which I change every 6-9 months. My shin splints disappeared overnight and I've never had them since.
  • hstallings13
    hstallings13 Posts: 306
    I use to get them all the time when I played tennis in HS. The trainer would have me ice for 10 mins before and after practice and then wrap my legs from ankle to knee in tape. The pressure kept them from hurting so much until I got the muscles built up in my legs. And now anytime mine start to flair up again (usually when starting a new form of exercise) I just tape or wrap them up for a few days and it gets better.
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