Shin splints.. :-(

Loonymoon
Loonymoon Posts: 27
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been doing zumba for 7 months now but have started to get shin splints. It got painful a few weeks ago and I responded by putting some cushioning insoles in my shoes which helped but I can feel the shin splints coming back.

I wear Capezio Fierce split sole dance sneakers - they've got the right kind of smooth sole for zumba but it seems they're not supportive or cushioned enough for the higher impact aspects of zumba.

I've just ordered some new Balance WX623 cross training shoes which I hope will be much more supportive and cushioned, however i'm a little worried they'll be too grippy which may lead to knee injuries from the movements that require lateral and twisting slide.

I am wondering if I'll get away with wearing the Capezio's plus insoles for two of my 3 classes a week and the New Balance shoes for the 90min high impact one where I really start to feel the shin splints... that might work.

I really don't want to have to give up Zumba I love it sooooo much and i've felt so much benefit in my body shape and fitness since doing it!

What do other people wear for Zumba? Dance sneakers don't seem to be cushioned enough and trainers are generally too grippy!

Replies

  • DeBlue
    DeBlue Posts: 254 Member
    Good shoes are important, but you absolutely need to properly stretch your calves to manage this. Ask your trainer to help as the stretches are simple, but an in-person demo will help insure you are getting the form right. Basically standing, step one leg back, place the heel to the floor and lean forward to stretch the back of the calf. Do it gently, but often. Use ice to help with healing. Good luck and have fun with your Zumba!
  • Loonymoon
    Loonymoon Posts: 27
    Thanks, we always do stretches at the end of each class, but I'll try doing some extra ones specifically for the lower legs.

    Is there any warm up exercises I can do do minimise it too? I wondered if ankle type exercises might help with the muscles/tendons in that area??
  • Loonymoon
    Loonymoon Posts: 27
    Got new trainers - Nike Steady VII and they're brilliant - they have good arch support and a shock absorbing system in the forefoot. i was a bit worried that the soles would be too grippy for zumba but that hasn't been a problem. I havent' suffered with the shin splints yet while using them - but I did also have a rest for a few days so I'll give it a while yet to see if I will suffer again.

    One thing I have to be careful of is overtightening the laces as this then causes quite bad pain across the top of my foot but not a problem if I don't over tighten...
  • Viviku
    Viviku Posts: 4
    I was always told that the cure to shin splints were to either exercise more or cool down.
  • ginny1214
    ginny1214 Posts: 338
    I'm glad I'm not the only one that Zumba gives shin splints to. Honestly if they start hurting I stretch andexercise.
  • Loonymoon
    Loonymoon Posts: 27
    Yes I think it's quite common in zumba and dance too due to the impact type movements. I have heard that basketball shoes are quite good as they're both cushioned for the impact but unlike running shoes not to grippy so you have some lateral movement on the soles.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Where do you do Zumba? Is it a proper dance studio floor? If not, you might want to find another class.

    Dance studios are built so that the floors have some give. You don't feel it because it's slight, but it prevents shin splints. If you're jumping around on tile or wood over concrete and you're prone to them, you're going to have a lot of trouble.
  • Krull_the_WarriorKing
    Krull_the_WarriorKing Posts: 650 Member
    You should make an appointment with your doc. Shin splints are most often (not the only way) brought on when you have a change in intensity that you're body is just not ready for yet. An example is running 10 miles a week for a month then jumping to 20 miles a week without gradually stepping up.

    If you've been doing this program for 7 months there is a possibility that you have developed a stress fracture and may need to take some time off. You're body should be adjusted to the program and you're not making changes. The more realistic situation is that you may need to stretch more.

    Always better to get checked professionally though just in case!
  • Loonymoon
    Loonymoon Posts: 27
    Thanks guys - one of the classes is on a dance floor the other two (different instructor) are not - but it's the one on the dance floor I was actually feeling it more - probably because of the type of movement we did in that class. Weirdly the instructor who teaches me on the two days that aren't on a dance floor also teaches in a gym with a proper studio floor and she says she feels the shin splints more on the gym floor than the other floors for some strange reason!!

    However I'm not feeling the shin splints at all now. I think my new shoes have solved that. I was misguidedly wearing dance sneakers that weren't cushioned enough for the higher impact class.

    my new Nikes seem to be offering much better support and cushioning as they have the forefoot impact cushioning system or whatever it is that Nike call it which does indeed seem to work well. However if I do start to feel it again I will have another look at what I'm doing.
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