Shin splints...Ouch!

ashleyonescu · 06-19-2007, 10:02 PM

I've been running and the past couple of days i've had really bad leg pain, i think its shin splints. My left leg hurts when im just walking. I bought new shoes, but the pain hasn't gone away, if i run on it will that make it worse?? Does anyone have advise to take the pain away?

smdiskin · 06-20-2007, 01:27 AM

Were you having the pain before you bought the new shoes...
Did you choose shoes that are designed for the way you run or for some other reason?
Is this the first time this has happened?

In the meantime... RICE....
Don't build up your distances too fast.
Avoid too much downhill running (where your toes slap off the ground more)
Stretch...
Women especially are prone to shin splints (large Q angles etc). But good shoes that are appropriate for your running style along with gradually building up the distance run will help....
I suffered from shin splints for years until I started to take this advice and my shins are still scarred from a few bad episodes.... my problem being that I am quite heavy (most womens trainers are designed for people less than 140lbs and when I was running the most I was closer to 150... ), I run like a duck (supinate where most women pronate so most trainers exacerbate the problem) and it really is not a very beautiful running style... still could do 10km in 42 mins... so it wasn't that bad.... I never did massive distances but I became very aware of how my shins were feeling ona particular day....

Hope this helps...

kitebean · 06-20-2007, 01:36 AM

Also are you running on an incline? That did it for/to me.....

Sar-Wah · 06-20-2007, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitebean

Also are you running on an incline? That did it for/to me.....

Hmm.... interesting.... I have found that when I run on a slight incline (ie 0.5-3% grade on treadmill) the pain is much less than when I run on the flats...

I wonder why?

enforcerlady · 06-20-2007, 06:56 AM

I did XC for 4 years in high school. You need to strengthen the little muscles around the ankle and in the lower leg. To do this you can trace the alphabet with you toe and you can trace circles with your big toe. I used to do something like 50 circles each direction and once through the alphabet. I would do this at least 3x per day and it eventually cured me.

lisa+kay · 06-20-2007, 07:29 AM

yeah, that rotating your ankle exercise really does help.
also, i don't know what this particular piece of equipment is called, but they have one at my gym and it has really helped me --- it kind of looks like a seated calf raise machine, but there are pads down close to the floor that you put the tops of your feet under. you add weight to it and sit there and lift the weight by raising your toes up.
when i ran cross country in high school, our coach said that running on different surfaces can cause shin splints too -- grass, cement, blacktop, etc. i don't know whether or not that's true, but it's something to think about if you're still having problems.

ashleyonescu · 06-20-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smdiskin

Were you having the pain before you bought the new shoes...
Did you choose shoes that are designed for the way you run or for some other reason?
Is this the first time this has happened?

In the meantime... RICE....
Don't build up your distances too fast.
Avoid too much downhill running (where your toes slap off the ground more)
Stretch...
Women especially are prone to shin splints (large Q angles etc). But good shoes that are appropriate for your running style along with gradually building up the distance run will help....
I suffered from shin splints for years until I started to take this advice and my shins are still scarred from a few bad episodes.... my problem being that I am quite heavy (most womens trainers are designed for people less than 140lbs and when I was running the most I was closer to 150... ), I run like a duck (supinate where most women pronate so most trainers exacerbate the problem) and it really is not a very beautiful running style... still could do 10km in 42 mins... so it wasn't that bad.... I never did massive distances but I became very aware of how my shins were feeling ona particular day....

Hope this helps...

I was having pain when i had my old shoes, so i got new ones but my shins still hurt. I chose shoes to run; mizuno running shoes. the guy had said they fit my foot, he said i had a pronated foot; my feet fall inwards. it has happend before, but I wasn't sure how to avoid the problem if it wasnt the shoes.

thanks for the advise

ashleyonescu · 06-20-2007, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitebean

Also are you running on an incline? That did it for/to me.....

sometimes, but sometimes not

indecision · 06-26-2007, 05:57 PM

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...61&postcount=2

Just a thought. Many people neglect calf training. Especially the front portions of their lower leg. It helped with my shin splints and I never had any since (referring to the link above).

valby · 06-26-2007, 07:46 PM

Hmm I too suffer from shin splints. Whatever you do don't run with shin splints as you will make them worse. RICE is good.

I agree you need to build up to running longer distances..most people start off with too much, get injured and then go back to basics. Even by doing this I had to get orthotics because I pronate so much! If you follow all the advice and you keep getting them maybe go see a podiatrist or physio who can advise you on how much you pronate and how to correct it. The right shoes help as well-you need ones with really strong support on the inside of the shoe near your arch-well that's what my pod advised me and I am a bad pronater. Running your fingers down your shin can help to loosen the muscle which becomes really tight.

Oh and check the surfaces you are running on. For me concrete is the worst even walking on it gives me shin splints. Road is ok for me-asphalt. Grass or dirt is best. I was also advised that changing surface mid-run is really bad as well.

Hope they get better I know how painful they can be