Shin Splints - What to do?

[Belle2667]

DS15 started track last week at school. He's doing the javelin throw but needs to run for warm-ups and is experiencing shin splints.

He's been icing and taking ibuprofen, but the only day of rest he gets is Sundays.

Is there anything else he can do to help his situation?

 

[mrsv98]

DS15 started track last week at school. He's doing the javelin throw but needs to run for warm-ups and is experiencing shin splints.

He's been icing and taking ibuprofen, but the only day of rest he gets is Sundays.

Is there anything else he can do to help his situation?

He needs to find the right shoes. I used to get them all the time until I experimented with different shoes and found Nike Air. Once I switched the shin splints went away and were never an issue.

I am not endorsing one brand, rather that he needs to see what works for him. He should also talk to his coach/trainer and see what warm up and exercises he can do to help. If it is a persistent problem, you might want to try a private trainer/rehab place for a couple of sessions.

Hope he feels better soon!

 

[PlutoPony]

Have him try to run on something besides the track or pavement to minimize the pounding. Look for trails or maybe run along the outside/inside of the track if that's grassy. Our high school distance runners alternate between speed work on the track and maintenance runs on trails to help minimize shin splints. Plus it's a lot more interesting to vary where you run, the track can get kinda boring

Agree with the shoe recommendation as well.

 

[Belle2667]

Thanks for the recommendations on the shoes. I didn't think of that.

I hate to buy him another $$ pair of sneakers though since we just bought some for this season. Is it an over / under pronation problem? Would the gel-inserts help?

 

[jackemail]

Make sure when he ices that he only leaves the ice on for 20 minutes or less..just ice up several times a day.

Google exercises for shin splints--there were a couple I had to do before and after running, but I don't know how to describe them.

I also had to do some exercises to strengthen the quads..supposedly helps take the pressure/weight off the shins.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Oh I hate shin splints! They can hurt so bad. I just got over some a few weeks ago when I was a little over ambitious with a workout. I don't have any advice, because nothing (short of keeping my legs as still as possible the first day) really helped me.

I hope he feels better soon and can continue on in track. My son was in track for a while, but had to stop because he got Severs Disease. The physical therapist said he could tell from his knees that Osgood-Schlatter disease was next, but he never developed that, thank goodness, maybe because he stopped track?

 

[PlutoPony]

Thanks for the recommendations on the shoes. I didn't think of that.

I hate to buy him another $$ pair of sneakers though since we just bought some for this season. Is it an over / under pronation problem? Would the gel-inserts help?

Do you know what his stride is like - over/under/neutral - and are his shoes matched to that? If so you've probably done what you can on that front, although inserts might help.

Before spending lots of $$, I'd have him see the team trainer and get suggestions there. Trainers see tons of shin splints and should be able to tailor the treatment to his javelin training.

 

[Sadie22]

Rather than have your son progress to stress fractures the way mine did, have him fitted for the proper shoes by a trained professional. It's amazing what you learn after someone has suffered for lack of the proper footgear. My son now has custom orthotics made by his podiatrist and he is able to run again, but there was a question for a while about whether he would be able to do so.

Our whole family wears New Balance almost exclusively now. We are fitted at a New Balance store.

 

[Coach K]

Getting new shoes is a good suggestion. It could not be the shoes though. If the school has an athletic trainer, have them check his feet. Sometimes shin splints are caused by fallen arches (and if the shoes are old, the arch support has probably worn down). If so, then have the trainer tape the arches. In the meantime, get some over the counter arch supports. Sometimes this will solve the problem. If they persist, then he might need some orthotics if new shoes does not help solve the problem. Good luck.

 

[SAHDad]

In addition to having him fitted (go to a running store, not a general shoe store), it is possible that the shin splints are a result of trying to go too far, too fast. If he was not terribly active (or at least, not used to running) before joining the track team, the shin splints could be a result of overtraining. (You did not say how far he is having to run, or how fast. Either or both could be a culprit here.)

Definitely use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to treat the injury, and, if it gets worse, then go to a doctor.

 

[Belle2667]

OP here. Thanks for the replies.

DS15 is not used to doing so much running so it may be more to being out of shape (running-wise). His trainer does recommend the ice and stretching. DS thought javelin would be less running but they are all required to do 400 and 800's ar the beginning and end of practice.

We will continue with the RICE methodology. We will also look at some arch supports as he has little arches. I will also have him ask the trainer about taping.

I don't want to seem too cheap to spend money on my son, but before I invest hundreds in better sneakers and personal trainers, I need to know from him if he will continue to pursue javelin. Of course, I don't want him to hate it either just because of this issue.

We will continue to monitor the situation as we definitely don't want him to develop the fractures! Thanks.

 

[LoriABil]

If he has just started running, it might be more of a stride thing. Most trainers I know don't even look at this, but if he is sprinting "flat" or with his feet flat instead of on the balls of his feet, that would create shin splints (in the same way that fallen arches do). Before shoes, see if he's running correctly and give it 4 - 6 (six!) weeks to heal. Yep, that's how long it takes a tendinitis to heal.

 

[golfgal]

The right shoes do not have to cost $100's of dollars and he can wear them even if he doesn't continue with track. Part of his problem, like you said, is being out of shape, but my guess is that his shoes are contributing to that problem. If you DON'T address the shoe issue, he will eventually end up with stress fractures. New shoes are a lot less expensive then an MRI.

 

[Magic Mom]

I agree with the poster that suggested going to a running store ( not a big sports store) to get his shoes. If it's a good store, they can analyze his feet and his gait to find the right pair for him.

I have really high arches and that makes me pron to shin splints, so I have to have shoes with high arches. I have a hard time finding them, so I had customized orthotic inserts made. That way I can put them in whatever athletic shoe I am wearing.

 

[golfgal]

I agree with the poster that suggested going to a running store ( not a big sports store) to get his shoes. If it's a good store, they can analyze his feet and his gait to find the right pair for him.

I have really high arches and that makes me pron to shin splints, so I have to have shoes with high arches. I have a hard time finding them, so I had customized orthotic inserts made. That way I can put them in whatever athletic shoe I am wearing.

I have high arches too and end up having to buy shoes a half size bigger to accommodate orthotics as well. My arch is also farther back on my foot than normal so often the arches in shoes hit in the wrong spot.