shin splint questions

[ohiominnie]

Ok, I'm back on the bandwagon (yet again) and I've been good about exercising nearly every day. Right now it's walks down the street b/c the weather has been so beautiful. I've been doing an interval walk (about 17 minutes) and then a moderate walk (another 20 minutes or so) Problem is, 1/3 of the way into it, I'm having terrible shin splints. YIKES!

Googled it and of course the recommendation is "rest"....ok, so then how do I exercise??? The only "helpful" piece of advice was to make sure you have a shoe with a really good arch support.

My shoes are "alright" in that area. So I did by a pair of inserts with extra arch supports in them (gosh, I feel old!)

I did take a leisurely walk in them and they felt a bit better, but still getting the shin splints. Maybe it will take time for the inflammation/tenderness to go down?

Any luck dealing with these pesky things?

 

[CACruisin']

How old are your shoes? Typically, running/walking shoes will not provide the needed arch support after about a year. If you are running/walking a lot, the shoes will degrade even faster. Shoes are good for a certain # of miles so if you are doing general walking, they last about a year, marathon training - shoes last for about three months. At least, this has been my experience. They may look fine, but still not be giving you the support you need. Good Luck.

 

[ohiominnie]

How old are your shoes? Typically, running/walking shoes will not provide the needed arch support after about a year. If you are running/walking a lot, the shoes will degrade even faster. Shoes are good for a certain # of miles so if you are doing general walking, they last about a year, marathon training - shoes last for about three months. At least, this has been my experience. They may look fine, but still not be giving you the support you need. Good Luck.

Nah, I'm good there. I bought the shoes in April. And I don't walk that much (other than regular life walking)

 

[mking624]

I danced for several years and as a result, I have several shin splints that act up from time to time.

Stretching is a BIG factor in helping prevent them. I don't mean a few minutes of a stretch, I mean a LONG stretch. Also, when you walk, are you walking on cement or any other really hard surface? If so, try walking on the grass. The foot impact on a really hard surface encourages shin splints...especially when you start walking fast or getting into jogging/running. Walking on the grass will not only give a softer impact, but it also encourages burning of more calories because it's uneven ground...and you'll be working a bit harder to walk there.

Anyway, those are just a couple of thoughts.

 

[ohMom]

karen -- you are walking in the same shoes you run around town in?? what kind of shoes are these??

i have orthotics (see we'll be old together) and that made a HUGE difference for me. i have tendonitis in my foot and w/o my orthotics it flares terribly. i used to have shin splint problems ALOT more than i do now (rare). and since you are planning to embark on 1/2 marathon training you may want to conisider a podiatrist consult if you think
you have foot issues or in the long term you could pay for it. i'm talking like your feet roll, bad arches, etc. did you get fitted for your shoes at a running store where they watch you walk/run and determine which type of shoe you need? do that!

in the meantime, ice and advil my friend, ice and advil.

i do remember the shin splints acting up at the beginningn of a walk/run and then simmering down after a mile or so

 

[ohiominnie]

karen -- you are walking in the same shoes you run around town in?? what kind of shoes are these??

i have orthotics (see we'll be old together) and that made a HUGE difference for me. i have tendonitis in my foot and w/o my orthotics it flares terribly. i used to have shin splint problems ALOT more than i do now (rare). and since you are planning to embark on 1/2 marathon training you may want to conisider a podiatrist consult if you think
you have foot issues or in the long term you could pay for it. i'm talking like your feet roll, bad arches, etc. did you get fitted for your shoes at a running store where they watch you walk/run and determine which type of shoe you need? do that!

Uh....yeah.....this is what I'm wearing when I'm walking. Is that bad???

actually, they are kinda like these. i got them at llbean, but can't find the exact pair....but these are close....

Yeah, maybe not the best, eh? Hmmmm....
a RUNNING store? they HAVE those? or are you talking like a Dick's or Sportmart where they sell shoes? I actually think I have a pair of official "walking shoes" around here somewhere....barely used.

i am an exercise illiterate, i'll admit it.

 

[donac]

You may have been starting out to fast. When I started walking in Jan I had shin splints at 3.4 mile per hour. I didn't press too hard. I kept walking but mad seure that I stretched and I kept at it. Now I don't get shin splints until I am at 4.3 miles per hour. Don't give up and don't push too hard. It will come.

Another thing that you should do after a walk is to ice. If I am still having problems before I go to bed I will use a heating pad.

I also have orthodics so we can all be old together. Mine are for bone spurs. I have two sets. The first I fought through but the second set were so bad that I did go to the podiatrist about them. (the exrays showed that the first set were there but had healed) They did give me some problems two times that I was at DW. My husband threatedned to get me a wheelchair one trip because they hurt so much.

Good luck

 

[ohMom]

karen -- i thought of you yesterday on the TM i was doing inclines and haven't for quite some time and my shins were telling me all about it!

for your shoes -- i'm sure those are good quality shoes -- but the question is are the the right type for your feet and natural walking form?? Running stores -- one by Polaris past the mall called "Fleet Feet" in a plaza on the right hand side as you are traveling towards SR 23. Or -- probably the better known in the Cols area is FrontRunner on Lane Ave. I have been to both actually, and i would say whichever is easiest for you to get too. I took my DD to fleet feet to get fitted after recovering from a dislocated knee and the owner waited on us; i felt he was a bit grumpy. i was an easy sale too so i wasn't quite sure about that. Before I was fitted there myself the salesguy was very helpful. NewBalance stores are ok too, but not sure if they watch you walk/run to determine your form.

once you know your type, then you can order on-line, etc for better prices.

i don't like 'powerwalking' as i call it in 'walking' shoes. i dont' think they're supportive enough. i have a pair of 'walking' shoes for my everyday type running around, but really i love my slip-on NB for that even better. but remember i have feet issues and am limited to what shoes i can wear now.

LOL love your garden shoes -- do you really have those? i see those all the time and wonder how comfy they really are? plastic shoes???

 

[ohiominnie]

karen -- i thought of you yesterday on the TM i was doing inclines and haven't for quite some time and my shins were telling me all about it!

for your shoes -- i'm sure those are good quality shoes -- but the question is are the the right type for your feet and natural walking form?? Running stores -- one by Polaris past the mall called "Fleet Feet" in a plaza on the right hand side as you are traveling towards SR 23. Or -- probably the better known in the Cols area is FrontRunner on Lane Ave. I have been to both actually, and i would say whichever is easiest for you to get too. I took my DD to fleet feet to get fitted after recovering from a dislocated knee and the owner waited on us; i felt he was a bit grumpy. i was an easy sale too so i wasn't quite sure about that. Before I was fitted there myself the salesguy was very helpful. NewBalance stores are ok too, but not sure if they watch you walk/run to determine your form.

once you know your type, then you can order on-line, etc for better prices.

i don't like 'powerwalking' as i call it in 'walking' shoes. i dont' think they're supportive enough. i have a pair of 'walking' shoes for my everyday type running around, but really i love my slip-on NB for that even better. but remember i have feet issues and am limited to what shoes i can wear now.

LOL love your garden shoes -- do you really have those? i see those all the time and wonder how comfy they really are? plastic shoes???

Wow! Loaded with good info. The funny thing is, I was listening to a podcast today (Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy) and they were talking to someone who is a personal trainer. She was talking about how the best place to get good shoes is a place where they put you on a treadmill and watch your walking/running style and then go from there. And I thought "wow, I heard it on WISH first!"

No. I do not have a pair of crocs, but I know LOTS of ppl who do and they all RAVE about them. Someday, maybe, I'll get a pair!

Thanks for the info!! I'll look into one of these stores.

 

[AlreadyexcitedGrammy]

long long long time ago (and yes I was old then) I had shin splints that ended up in a stress fracture and the cutest, sweetest looking - young dr and his resident in training sort of "snickered" as they tried to tell me that I was "pushing too hard and trying to do too much too quickly" so an oldie's advice is slow down and remember to increase only 10% a week (distance and pace).

Nope - I really don't practice what "I preach" cause when I am on a roll and getting back into a real exercise routine - I want to go as long a distance as I want and as fast as I want!

but........... I am wiser now, I wore a "bootie" and some other contraption for sometime and it was a nuisance, so I try to remember I don't want to do that again!

Good luck

 

[debm]

Bring your old shoes with you to the running store. They will look at how you wore them --their wear pattern---to help decide what shoes you should be in.

I would definitely not wear the shoes I walk/run in just "around town". I'm sort of anal but my understanding is that they are made for a certain movement and when you are just doing stuff all day your feet move this way, that way, side to side, etc. Not the heel -toe movement of walking or running. That way when you get ready to exercise is the only time you put your shoes on. And I wonder if you should go with running shoes and not walking shoes. someone at a specialty store can help you. Keep in mind a large sports store or department store hires high school and college help. Our running store is run by the owner, a Team in Training Coach. I have never been in there where he is not there. Very knowlegeable. I thought it would be more expensive for new shoes, but it actually wasn't. Good luck on your quest for shoes. Oh and I've had some interior shin splints and he told me that I needed to strengthen my calf muscles and that stretching would really help.