advice needed...shins splints

[wendi911]

just started working out...my first month i did power walking as my cardio in addition to a lifting regimen...so my second month i tried jogging (minimal) during my walk...the next morning i couldn't walk because my shins and tops of my feet hurt so bad...anyone know how long it takes to heal and any suggestions on whether i should try the jogging thing again or stick to walking?

[jf1]

just started working out...my first month i did power walking as my cardio in addition to a lifting regimen...so my second month i tried jogging (minimal) during my walk...the next morning i couldn't walk because my shins and tops of my feet hurt so bad...anyone know how long it takes to heal and any suggestions on whether i should try the jogging thing again or stick to walking?

same thing happened to me when i started jogging; i had planned to jog lightly everyday...shin splints the first day made this impossible.

i switched to every third day, this gave my shins, and my entire body, time to recoup bettween runs.

that was a month and 1/2 ago and i am now running over 8miles every third day....

start slow, run 'softly', rest in between runs...

[Marius_Ursus]

Jack's got some good tips.

Other things you can try are lots of calf stretching to keep that muscle loose, so there's less tension exerted on the back of the lower let. Less tension on the back means less stress tension on the front.

You can also try changing your stride length and/or technique. Like Jackfast says, run softly, so you're not slapping your foot down. I find that switching to toe runnning (runnnig on the balls of the feet) in the second half of my run or even throughout the whole run alleviates shin splints and knee and ankle pain.

[RazzyDaz]

First thing first, I would highly recommend going to a local running store and getting properly fit for shoes. Tennis shoes today, do not have the support like specific made running shoes. By watching your "gate," the style of running, they can provide the best fit. Also while you're there, ask them to evaluate your formation on the treadmill. The real kicker to running is getting the breathing and formation down. If both of these fail, you will become tired or worn out faster.
I am not going to lie, you are going to have shin splints for a while. You are using calf muscles that have never been worked before. My only suggestion is ICE THEM! Yes, it's freaking cold, but it works. You can also take a magnesium supplement to help with muscle soreness and pains.

[wendi911]

thanks for all the great advice...i'm going to incorporate all suggestions into my workout and try it again in a couple days

[AlexNJ]

thanks for all the great advice...i'm going to incorporate all suggestions into my workout and try it again in a couple days

Reverse calf raises helped to strengthen my tibialis anterior muscles. Shin splints, which used to plague me all the time, are rare now. Give them a try for a few weeks and see if they help.

[rpaul11]

It takes time. Good shoes are a MUST for anybody running. Rest in between your runs to give yourself time to recover. Walk on your off days. Stretch a lot and try icing your shins

[sevenleigh]

Yes Shin Splints suck! I got them for the first time really bad when I was in Basic Training years ago. I was gobbling up 1600mg's of Motrin on an empty stomache every morning before a run and they still hurt. (later I would find out that Motrin on an empty stomache is a really bad idea).
The only thing that can help heal shin splints is time off. You can elevate your feet and ice them to help with inflamation and pain but ultimately you have to suck it up and drive on through the pain or stop running for a while.

Note: I get them when I run on uneven terrain. I have a really cool cross country course that I made up down by the river but it is accross rocks and sand and up and down hills etc. so it is tough on my shins.

Another thing that might help is a different pair of shoes. Don't try to run over 2 miles in a cross trainer. They are not designed for that.

Best of luck to you!

[jellodirt]

just started working out...my first month i did power walking as my cardio in addition to a lifting regimen...so my second month i tried jogging (minimal) during my walk...the next morning i couldn't walk because my shins and tops of my feet hurt so bad...anyone know how long it takes to heal and any suggestions on whether i should try the jogging thing again or stick to walking?

I have horrible shin splints and have had them for about two years. I jog about twice a week and they still flare up. Try stretching by kneeling on the floor with your toes pointing back, then sit back on your heels and lightly lean back. Do this two times a day for about 40 seconds (especially before you run). I also put ice packs on my shins after I run. They haven't gone away but it makes it tolerable.

[gymrat2007]

I had them too, and for me it was a combination of being new to running & bad shoes. I got some new asics & don't have the problem any more.

[5krunner]

just started working out...my first month i did power walking as my cardio in addition to a lifting regimen...so my second month i tried jogging (minimal) during my walk...the next morning i couldn't walk because my shins and tops of my feet hurt so bad...anyone know how long it takes to heal and any suggestions on whether i should try the jogging thing again or stick to walking?

I used to get shin splints often until I got new running shoes that actually fit my feet right. Since then I have gone through several pair and have never had shin splints again. It might be worth a try for you too.

[dbx]

I used to get shin splints often until I got new running shoes that actually fit my feet right. Since then I have gone through several pair and have never had shin splints again. It might be worth a try for you too.

Same story here. Er.... x2

[dot1]

Stretch stretch stretch! Ice ice ice! Stay off hard pavement, I would stick to a treadmill for a while, nice cushion. Ibuprofen will help. You could also use a something like ben gay before working out or even a warm wash cloth to get your muscles warm. Good luck!

[boathead]

might i suggest hamstring stretches with your toe pointed? that is the only stretch i know of to get into the area where the splint occurs. to hit it right, you have to have your shoe off. otherwise your shoe limits you.

[wendi911]

amazingly i've never thought of this stretch for that part of the shin...lol always considered it for the quads...thanks i'll try it...thanks all i'm def getting new shoes and trying these suggestions!

[Skidmarx]

Other things you can try are lots of calf stretching to keep that muscle loose, so there's less tension exerted on the back of the lower let. Less tension on the back means less stress tension on the front..

awesome advice.

Stretch the calves at least a couple times a day, on a curb or whatever is handy, and the **** splints will go away. They did for me anyway.

[AlanBee]

I will echo all the above great advice.
I got them pretty bad a couple of years ago when I first started jogging.
Plenty of calf stretches and hamstring stretches helped a lot, but in the end I went to a proper running shop and got fitted for a good pair of Asics.
Also, once I recovered from them and returned to jogging, I built up very slowly.
Half mile the first run, and slowly build it up over a period of a few weeks until I was running a couple of miles at a go.
If you run outdoors on hard ground, try getting some shock absorbing insoles.

One thing I would strongly advise against is taking an anti-inflammatory and continuing to run, it will just mask the pain and end up doing more damage in the long run (no pun intended).