HELP! My shins are in pain....

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steffo365
steffo365 Posts: 183 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello Everyone!

I have been on MFP controlling my diet & exercise for about three months now and I felt very good about my healthier lifestyle choice. Then in May, I joined a group here on MFP that wanted to start the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred for the whole month of May. I completed the month but these last few days, my shins HURTTT :frown: ... but only when I did the jumping movements/ any higher-intensity workout that would work the lower part of my legs. Also, when I firmly press on my shins, they hurt as if I had a bruise.

I did some research and discovered that there is an injury called "shin splints". I am just not absolutely sure.

Have any of you experienced this when you increased the intensity of your workouts? Any help is very much appreciated.

THANKS! :glasses:

Replies

  • Runs4CupCakes
    Runs4CupCakes Posts: 132
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    I have had this problem my self when i upped my intensitsy i found out it was my shoes. when i was hitting have an odd point of contact that hits 1st on my foot so it was causeing my shins to hurt, try a new shoe go to a store that will help determine your contact point for when your jumping. I love nike shocks have wore them for years but when i started running i was always in pain...i roll my foot from my heel to my toes when running and the shocks were throwing me to far forward i now run in new balance or asics and they have helped, if your pain counitues i'd say go to a doc and see what they suggest.
  • LiddyBit
    LiddyBit Posts: 447 Member
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    Yup, that sounds like shin splints.

    20 minutes of ice after work outs would be a good idea. Also, when you do jumps, make sure that you are putting your heels down each time you land. Don't let your weight settle in your heels, but pressing them down will protect your shins.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Yes, shin splints. Oh fun times! But all is not lost. First, get fitted for shoes at a specialty store. I'd normally say a running store, but since you're cross training, I'm not sure on that. It sounds like you need more arch support (at least that's why I developed shin splints when running). The other thing is to do good stretches after working out. For my shin splints, I like to stand on my the edge of a stair, with just my toes on it. Then I lower myself down as far as my heels can go and let it stretch. Then I go up on tip toes and stretch. I do this 3 to 5 times, slowly, with long pauses for the stretch. Feels great. Another tip for shin splints that you can do while watching TV: draw the abc's with your toes! It's weird, but it seems to help.

    And lastly, try to lower the intensity a bit. The 30 DS is pretty intense but it's actually NOT meant to do every day. 3 to 4 times a week is plenty and will help a lot with your shin splints.
  • emgirls
    emgirls Posts: 3 Member
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    I don't usually have shin splint pain(...in high school when running the track I did and wow! I do remember the pain.) Anyhow, my sister-in-law gets shin pain and her trainer suggested using this flexable rod with beads that is made just for shin pain. You can get them at the sports equipment stores. She uses it when she is going though her stretch routine and just rubs it up and down along her shins with a little pressure. Look into it. She swears by it.

    Also like the other posts above, I think shoes really help here. I have some really good running shoes and don't have the shin pain. In high school I ran in Keds or Vans...yikes, no support there and lots of pain.
  • steffo365
    steffo365 Posts: 183 Member
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    Wow! Tons of great advice here, thanks guys.

    I will definitely look into better shoes, mine are not as comfortable as I'd like them to be. I started putting ice on my shins today and I like that idea of drawing the ABC's with my toes, lol that sounds like it would help as well.

    I think I went into it too hard this past month because I did the 30DS every day, except on Sundays. I will have to lower the intensity while I heal up!
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
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    i had shin splints this past weekend from hiking too far / too fast in old shoes. avoided hiking for a few days and stuck to the exercise bike on low tension. they are feeling better now.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    When I got my new, properly fitted shoes, the shin pain was nearly gone within like 2 days. I still have some super minor, barely noticeable pain. That will disappear with time as I build up the muscles.
  • chelsa1986
    chelsa1986 Posts: 71
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    Ah, shin splints, the bane of my existence.

    Shin splints is the muscle actually slowly DISCONNECTING from the tissue! Yark and holy crap it hurts. You need to soak in ice water for ten min or so. After a run, I walk into the freezing cold water in the (unheated from Nov-May) pool at my gym and just stand there 'till I can't feel my legs. It's a miracle worker. Some people are just prone to them, no matter how many races I ran, how many miles per week or how much strength training I did, I had them. You do need to listen to your body though, if you decide to fight thru the pain and not take action against it, you will end up with a stress fracture.

    Good luck!

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