Shin splints

emtess123
emtess123 Posts: 26
in Fitness and Exercise
Just looking for some advice about the dreaded shin splints! Not 100% sure that i have them but symptoms seem pretty similar.

Im a new runner and i will admit i think i have waaay overdone it! I've gone from not running at all to doing six 50 minute sessions (mixture of walking and running) in the past 10 days and have started feeling pain in one of my shins. I think i was so focused on getting my fitness levels up and not wanting to stop because of that that i didnt really think about my poor old muscles :laugh:

During yesterdays run i started to get like a pins and needles type feeling from my knee down in one of my legs that gradually got worse, everytime my foot hit the floor i got a sharpish pain up my shins and have been experiencing sort of like a dull ache over the front of my leg. Been for a hike up a small mountain today and really felt the pain! Do you think this is shin splints? I plan the have the next 2 days off of exercise, do you think id need longer? I really wanted to keep this up and build my fitness so ill be gutted if i do have to give it up for a few weeks as it will take me right back to square one, but at the end of the day if i carry on running i could sustain injurys that last years so do have to look at the bigger picture!

Any advice/ past experiences would be great to hear! Also is heat or ice best? Torn between a hot bath and an ice pack so have done both this afternoon :laugh:

Replies

  • galvestongal
    galvestongal Posts: 186 Member
    Heat and ice and rest helped mine. If you are new to running I would look into C25K
  • hbarney
    hbarney Posts: 434
    Could be shin splint but also you need to make sure you aren't getting exercised induced compartment syndrome. Taking time off it a good idea-you could try swimming instead. Take advil, if you can, fill small paper cups with water and put in the freezer-you can use these for ice massage cups-make sure you run your palm over the top of the ice first. Don't ice too long though. Good luck!
  • chefdan
    chefdan Posts: 53 Member
    Look at the big picture. Take a break until you can start a run/walk program like C25K without pain. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

    Ice is best right now. Learn the term RICE-Rest/Ice/Compression/Elevation and practice it. I have shin splint problems and purchased some compression sleeves for my legs and these help both during running and recovery. If you're starting out, start slowly and build over the period weeks and months, as in the above program. If you're still running and loving it (& why wouldn't you) after that take a look at this for building a running base that is more likely to keep you injury free.
    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--11174-0,00.html

    I hope this helps a bit and that you can curb your enthusiasm enough to let yourself recover and build your running base properly. I went through all this a year ago, and wish that I had done it correctly. Good luck and have fun.
  • emtess123
    emtess123 Posts: 26
    Thanks guys, iced them for 10/15 mins each and will do the same tomorrow, going to give myself 2 days off then go out for 20 mins or so and see how that goes, if i'm still feeling pain will give myself another few off. Was going to do the c25k but dont own an i pod and cant run with headphones in (always fall out my ears and wire just gets in the way :laugh: ) so wouldnt be able to listen to the pod cast, just thought id build up myself!

    Have learnt my lesson that i cant go and run that much until my muscles are a bit more used to it! Should have just started off doing it twice a week, then 3 times etc etc
  • Play_outside
    Play_outside Posts: 528 Member
    Rest!!! Doing what you've been doing is exactly how I got shin splints. I would probably take more than a couple of days off before you start again, and then, as suggested, do the couch to 10k. Every other time in my adulthood I've tried to start running again, I did way too much to begin with because I could, and got shin splints. Listen to your body!
    Now I'm doing the couch to 5k and then plan to do the bridge to 10k. Sometimes I tack on an extra few minutes of running to the end of my run, and sometimes I run more often in a week, but I mostly stick to the program they have laid out. Better safe than sorry!

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