Shin splints

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mammabear1193
mammabear1193 Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been exercising and eating properly for about 4 weeks now. I've been jogging/walking on a treadmill since the beginning doing 2 miles 5 times a week. I've gradually built up my endurance and am now able to run almost .75 miles without stopping. My question is I started getting a shin splint in my right leg, I usually push through, which I know isn't good but I don't want to fall off track. What can I do so that I get rid of the shin splint but don't loose all my progress?

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  • rahlouni
    rahlouni Posts: 1 Member
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    Hello, congratulations on yoir progress. I would say it is ok to take a break while your body recovers and gets used to running. I had the same happen to me. You will get there just a bit of patience. Keep pushing!
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    I posted a thread about this exact thing yesterday and there is tons of great advice there I received
  • JustRobby1
    JustRobby1 Posts: 674 Member
    edited September 2017
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    I had this problem for quite awhile in the early going, and I realize how much this sucks. Trust me! To still have gas left in the tank but have to quit because of pain is nerve racking. I am still relatively new to the running game, so I am sure some of the veterans here will have far more sage advice than me, but the three things that really helped me with this were:

    1) Getting the right shoes- Go to a legit running store where you will be properly measured. Not online or someplace like Dick's Sporting Goods or Foot Locker.

    2) Make sure you are allowing for proper rest and recovery time. This was another tough pill for me to swallow since I liked to fancy myself superman. But refusing to take a day off and then be out of commission for 3-4 days due to injury is not a very good tradeoff either. Increasingly mileage too quickly is another bad idea.

    3) Make sure you stretch properly before you run. You will be friggin shocked how big of a difference this makes.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    Swim. Swim swim. Did I say Swim?
    I can't do anything that produces impact on my feet anymore. So i swim. A lot. And sometimes, after swimming 4 miles on a Saturday morning I'll go in to the 9:45 spin class.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    SCoil123 wrote: »
    I posted a thread about this exact thing yesterday and there is tons of great advice there I received

    maybe you could provide a link to your thread for the OP....
  • kayla25mfp
    kayla25mfp Posts: 17 Member
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    I used to have this problem every time I started running. I thought I just wasn't going to be able to until my brother explained to me that the efficiency of your lungs and heart improved faster than your bone density, but your bones do get stronger.
    So I had to slow down and give them time to strengthen. Now they almost never bother me.
    Definitely make sure the shoes are good, and make sure you are getting good nutrition so your body has what it needs to improve. Then take it slower.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    mammabear1193 wrote: »
    What can I do so that I get rid of the shin splint but don't loose all my progress?

    Do you mean your progress with fat loss? Eat in a slight calorie deficit. No exercise is required for that.

    To maintain your fitness while you take a break from running, bike, swim, dance, climb stairs, elliptical machine, strength train, etc. :+1:
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
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    kayla25mfp wrote: »
    I used to have this problem every time I started running. I thought I just wasn't going to be able to until my brother explained to me that the efficiency of your lungs and heart improved faster than your bone density, but your bones do get stronger.
    So I had to slow down and give them time to strengthen. Now they almost never bother me.
    Definitely make sure the shoes are good, and make sure you are getting good nutrition so your body has what it needs to improve. Then take it slower.

    Ditto on slowing down. It's never something that we want to do, but try running at a conversational pace. Maybe you'll even end up going for longer distances, just at a pace your body can handle!
  • mammabear1193
    mammabear1193 Posts: 36 Member
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    Thank you guys! It's hard to take a break but I'd rather have to heal for a few days than be out even longer. I definitely could use some new shoes!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Have you tried the C25K app? It's a great program to get started running with lower risk of injury and a high success rate.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    mammabear1193 wrote: »
    Thank you guys! It's hard to take a break but I'd rather have to heal for a few days than be out even longer. I definitely could use some new shoes!

    depending on the severity shin splints can require more than a few days of rest. I have one that only acts up if I run or jog, I dont do either and dont really know how I ended up with it since I dont do either. but walking is fine and so is other exercise.but let me try to jog to keep up with the dogs and boom I start hurting. its been like this for over a month. so rest as much as you can you can injure yourself further if you work through the pain.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    Shin splints can become chronic if you don't address them through rest, ice, and perhaps Advil. You can get some PT to teach you exercises to strengthen the muscles of your lower leg, particularly your "TA," which is the muscle that gets "splints."

    (You can also look through a few YouTube videos for exercise and stretch ideas, but it's best to get individualized advice.)
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    My daughter was on the local running team until shin splints derailed her for 15 YEARS. She started up again from my example. As soon as she gets a twinge now she changes her gait. Whatever works.

    Ignore your body's needs at your peril.
  • Janice6543
    Janice6543 Posts: 92 Member
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    Agree re shoes. As soon as I get a twinge in my knee, it means time for new shoes.
  • Rincewind_1965
    Rincewind_1965 Posts: 639 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    I posted a thread about this exact thing yesterday and there is tons of great advice there I received

    maybe you could provide a link to your thread for the OP....

    Obviously not ... So I'll do:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/40434934#Comment_40434934
  • mammabear1193
    mammabear1193 Posts: 36 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Have you tried the C25K app? It's a great program to get started running with lower risk of injury and a high success rate.

    I've heard of it. I may give it a try
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    I posted a thread about this exact thing yesterday and there is tons of great advice there I received

    maybe you could provide a link to your thread for the OP....

    Not sure how from my phone or I would have. Best I could do was let her know thread was there. It can be found in a search
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Have you tried the C25K app? It's a great program to get started running with lower risk of injury and a high success rate.

    This is the program I'm doing
  • Agent_Freckles
    Agent_Freckles Posts: 79 Member
    edited September 2017
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    I ran cross country in high school and our coach forced us to stretch in various positions for 30 seconds. One of those "stretches" was what we'd call shin splints.

    It's hard to explain without showing, but basically you walk with your feet turned out, in, up and down (30s each). So walk on your heels (toes off the ground completely), inside of your foot, toes (heels off), and outside of your foot. Does that make sense? We did the stretches so often that they're all burned into my memory forever.

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