Shin Pain..doctor?

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jessica7368
jessica7368 Posts: 64 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been working out 6 days a week for about 5 weeks now and I thought my shins would be strengthened by now. I typically do step class tue/thurs/sat and jog/elliptical/weights on mon/wed/sun. Today in step class i was literally in tears because my shins were hurting so bad. I rested for a bit and tried to do low impact things for the rest of the class.

I'm beginning to feel really frustrated though, I don't understand why my shins are not getting better. I'm icing them, I'm stretching...and no avail. One thing I've noticed is that when I do one leg squats or jog my feet are not lining up properly. Its like they stick outward some. I don't know if this would cause more stress on the shins? I've tried to have proper form but its like my body will not do it.

Just looking for some practical advice...should I go see a doctor? Should I wait it out longer?

Replies

  • curvy_ca_mama
    curvy_ca_mama Posts: 110 Member
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    It sounds like you need new shoes. My shins always hurt when it's time to replace them. I would try that before going to the doctor. Good luck!
  • AlissaPT
    AlissaPT Posts: 65 Member
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    Have you been diagnosed with shin splints? Sounds likely. I'd see your doctor. It could even be stress fractures. You could be doing more harm than good by ignoring it.
  • shellimus
    shellimus Posts: 158 Member
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    I had the same problem and exercise didn't fix it. I ended up getting custom fit orthotics and new shoes. I went to a muscle therapist in a physical therapy office to get them. He also gave me some exercises which really helped. My shin splints are completely gone now.

    The muscle therapist told me to make circles with my ankle, trying to draw as big of a circle with my toes as possible. Twelve times clockwise then twelve times counterclockwise. The other one was point and flex, once again pushing my toes as far up and then as far down as I could. Twelve times up and twelve times down. I did this twice a day.

    I felt the little muscle burn on the front of my shin when I did these which told me it was really weak. I also heard my ankle click as it went around, which he told me was scar tissue. The more I did it the more it went away. It's gone now.

    Hope that helps!
  • bmjohnso9192
    bmjohnso9192 Posts: 28
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    I had shin splints for years in High-School. I had to ice all the time, but it didn't help. Still to this day I get shin-splints during high-impact activities. My doc said my injury was permanent, from over doing it in H.S. So I try to stick to lower impact activities, like the Elliptical. Or I will alternate days, so I am not repeating the same High Impact Activities over and over. THats what ruined my shins!
  • jessica7368
    jessica7368 Posts: 64 Member
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    It sounds like you need new shoes. My shins always hurt when it's time to replace them. I would try that before going to the doctor. Good luck!
    I just got new shoes but I'm wondering if I need a different type of fitting shoe? I am going to try another type and see if that helps. We have a running room where they custom fit so I will likely try that.
  • jessica7368
    jessica7368 Posts: 64 Member
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    Have you been diagnosed with shin splints? Sounds likely. I'd see your doctor. It could even be stress fractures. You could be doing more harm than good by ignoring it.
    I have not been diagnosed with shin splints, but I too think I have them. What doctor do I go to? Just a general doctor to start off with?
  • oneIT
    oneIT Posts: 388 Member
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    Get better shoes. I used to get them when I ran in the street, running shoes didn't help. I now run at the gym on a treadmill and don't get them anymore although I am 20 pounds lighter too since then.

    I think they take awhile to heal.

    When i joined LA fitness I asked this guy who was a runner and trainer and he told me to ice them and tape them. I thought I would get shinsplints again but I don't so I never tried the taping.
  • AlissaPT
    AlissaPT Posts: 65 Member
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    Have you been diagnosed with shin splints? Sounds likely. I'd see your doctor. It could even be stress fractures. You could be doing more harm than good by ignoring it.
    I have not been diagnosed with shin splints, but I too think I have them. What doctor do I go to? Just a general doctor to start off with?

    I'm not sure how your insurance works, so you may needs to go through your primary care doc, but an orthopaedist would most likely be who you'd see.
  • jskaggs1971
    jskaggs1971 Posts: 371 Member
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    I recently read a GREAT health/training book for runners, and there was some good advice in there for suffers of shin pain. If you're already stretching your tibialis and calf muscles well after running and the pain is persistent, even after RICE, then it's probably time to see the doc to make sure you don't have something more than just muscle pain, such as stress fractures or compartment syndrome.

    Link to a fantastic book for runners: http://velopress.competitor.com/running.php?id=313

    I'm not affiliated with the author in any way, so not an ad.
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    okay so i am training for the disney princess 1/2 marathon on 2/26 and have been doing running intervals 3 days a week - 2 runs for 45 mins or so and 1 "long" run depending on the week - last week was 8 but i have been up to 10....my right shin is really bothering me when i run and is SUPER sensitive to touch all the time...it's like it's bruised but you can't see it...i feel a few small bumps along my shin too - that is where it is the most sore....i have to be HONEST - i do not stretch before or after and i KNOW i should and i PROMISE i will start now, especially the ones i saw described above but in the mean time how can i keep training for this 13.1 mile run at the end of february without hurting myself permanently....after the 1/2 im cutting back on my running - not signing up for any more races...just will run 1-2 times a week either outside or on the treadmill as part of my workout schedule....

    anyway, any new help would be much appreciated....
    denise
  • AlissaPT
    AlissaPT Posts: 65 Member
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    If you have access to a pool, running in the water is good - a lot of pools have water belts that you wear in the deep end and you run "suspended". Just be careful that it's not stress fractures, because continuing to run on those (vs shin splints) will definitely make it worse!!

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