ouch!!!!

[bearapples71]

ok...i've been doing tapes "walk away the pounds" for 2 years now, the 3 mile with 5 pound weights is my mainstay of my cardio routine...then i do "the firm" total body weight training 2-3 times a week and "the firm" abs about 4 times a week and now i have started to add in "pilates" abs and 20 min workout tape along with the others...anyway here's my problem...occasionally i get to go out and walk a 3 mile walk around town/parks here when my DH is home from work on the weekends (sundays mostly), i walk briskly then i run a bit and the walk briskly again...kind of like crosstraining...anyway...when i do get to get outside to walk i seem to get terrible shin splints they started last summer while i was on a jersey beach vacation and went walking/running every morning since i didn't have my weights/tapes to workout to...and now yesterday i had the chance to get outside and did a 2 1/2 mile walk/run and today my shin splints are kind of sore...i still did my 3 mile "walk away the pounds" tapes with 5 pound weights and the "firm" abs tape this morning but my shins hurt a bit...not as badly as they have in the past when i get these splints but they hurt none-the-less...

anyway, does anyone or has anyone gotten or suffered from shin splints here?? and what do you / did you do to help them/prevent them?

 

[ahutton]

Here is what I found on webmd.com - they are my favorite resource:

Shin splints, if that's what you have, can be caused by sudden increases in mileage, walking uphill, overtraining, walking faster than normal, jumping, running stairs, or just too much distance. They can occur on the medial, or inside of the shin, or on the lateral, or outside of your shin. Medial shin splints are usually caused by excessive pronation or flat feet, and often by pounding from running, or sports like tennis, volleyball, and other weight-bearing activities. If you have medial shin splints and flat feet or excessive pronation, an orthotic device or over-the-counter arch support like Powerfeet or Spenco can sometimes be helpful. Make sure it's a full-length insert.

Lateral shin splints (sometimes called anterior shin splints) are usually due to overuse and inflammation of the anterior tibialis muscle and the muscle compartment in the front of the leg, along the outside front of your shin. The anterior tibialis muscle flexes your foot upward. People frequently get anterior shin splints from the repetition of flexing the muscle. For instance, on the treadmill, if you walk fast enough, and for long enough, or if you've suddenly increased the speed, or you're walking on an elevation, the muscle gets overworked and starts to cramp. It would be like doing hundreds of biceps curls until your arm started to cramp. Plus, on the treadmill, there's no letup since the mill just keeps going. You could potentially have the same problem if you walked or ran briskly outdoors for a long period of time at a speed faster than you're used to.

Treatment for shin splits includes rest, massage, ice, stretching, and strengthening. Rest and ice is sometimes the best treatment. You should also be stretching your calves and Achilles tendon. If you have the problem during running or walking, try warming up more and don't increase the speed too quickly. You can also try varying the speed and elevation of the treadmill if you use one instead of keeping it the same.


I find that I have the most trouble if I'm walking in shoes without adequate arch support. I have high arches and a high instep so I buy extra arch support for my shoes and lace up very carefully... Hope you feel better soon!

 

[bearapples71]

thanks!

 

[aurora19]

Stretching helps enormously. Warm up by walking briskly for 5 -10 mins and stretch your calves, ankles, achilles tendons and then stretch the fronts of your lower legs by kneeling down and sitting on your heels (just be careful of straining your knees). Repeat these stretches again after your full workout. Shin splints are really common with runners so you might want to look into Runners World for advice.

You might also need different shoes for actual walking/jogging than doing the WATP tapes. I find that the WATP tapes are so low impact I could do them barefoot but I need far more support to walk briskly outdoors. If you are doing the tapes with walking shoes, you may need to upgrade to running shoes or cross-trainers for your outside workouts.

Hope they heal soon for you!