Ninerbuff's flophouse

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  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,154 Member
    In my experience running track and cross country in my school days, the choice of footwear is the single most important element in preventing/healing shin splints. You need cushion to absorb the forces from running. Tennis shoes are ok, but actual running shoes will make a WORLD of difference.

    Choice of running surface also impacts things. Soft surfaces like grass or dirt are best, while running on sidewalks is actually the worst. When possible, run along the edge of the street (say in the bicycle lane) rather than on the sidewalk.

    There are several exercises which can help as well. In addition to what @ninerbuff suggested, you can also try walking on your heels for a little bit (hundred yards, or even just across your living room a few times), trying to point your toes to the ceiling. Bonus points if the ball of your foot actually leaves the ground, but at least pointing toes up helps. Follow this by walking backwards for a similar length, pointing your foot so the ball touches down before your heel.

    Nutritionally you'll hear the adage that potassium is needed, so eat foods rich in the nutrient, like bananas, but anecdotally I never noticed much difference.

    Ice baths from the knees down can have a dramatic pain-reducing effect. Even just placing ice cubes in a ziploc sandwich bag and holding that to your shins can help.
  • Kosterc4383
    Kosterc4383 Posts: 32 Member
    Shoes are an issue. I had major issues with health 17 years ago. Most got worse and worse for like 10 years, but also things started to improve after 2015. So I don't run. I had special orthopedic shoes as my feet really where turned inwards, combined with very floppy feet. Read had, past tense. Shin splint can also start from not moving. Fast forward to Oct 2022, big big trouble with my knee, I finally started moving after heart surgery in juli 2021, and it stopped me in my tracks. It was red on the top of my calf, whole thigh hurt when you just looked at it, gp treated with steroids and it cleared up, but it also gave me back use of my feet and ankle. What was very obvious as I could walk bare foot. Fast forward to March, I made it half a mile on sneakers. Gym shoes. 2 weeks ago I bought 2 pair of regular shoes. 1 walking, 1 running. That day I absolute smashed my steps. All shoes don't really fit. They are to narrow. So both pairs are from the boys section now. But still pressure spots on my poor feet, rotating 4 pairs now to not make things worse. Shin splint still averted but walking any incline is very hard, just stepping of a side walk feels awkward. So what we think happened somewhere in the last 10 years is I got foot drop. What fixed when I injury my knee. But I can not lift my toes of the ground standing on my heels. Instant step out to regain balance. Still trying. Thanks for the advice. Going for a small hike tomorow on the heath. See how that feels compared to footpaths in town.

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