Shin splints

[twotoohappy]

Arrggh! I can't run for a few more days and I'm losing my mind. Anybody else have to deal with shin splints? I haven't ran since last week and just doing Pilates, crunches and weights isn't enough. Any ideas on how to get a good cardio workout in with shin splints?
Thanks

 

[newholidayx2]

sorry Liz I really dont know
but ouch! you need those legs NEXT WEEK!

 

[TEK224]

Liz - sorry to hear about the shin splints. I can feel your pain
I got shin splint in my right leg while going Goofy in Jan. I spent 3 days after the race on crutches. It hurt to just put any weight on my leg at all.

It didn't last long, though. So hopefully you'll be back on the trail in no time. Remember to stretch, ice and do the alphabet with your toes.

Terri

 

[twotoohappy]

Thanks for the good wishes!

I'm hoping to start training again on Friday. That would be a week off my leg. It's kinda funny because I use to hate exercising and now I go crazy when I miss the gym. I guess Dr. Phil is right.... you can't get rid of a habit, you just change it. I got rid of snacking in front of the tv after work to heading straight to the gym.

Have a great day everyone

 

[ohMom]

i guess i haven't had shin splints to that point yet -- but lately the first 2 miles on the TM have been a real struggle with them. I'm taking aleve and trying to remember to do calf stretches whenever i think about them. I have read calf stretches and ice for them

 

[saturday97]

The Dr. told me I could swim or do the bike while I had shin splints. Not as many calories burned on the bike, but I could still work up a sweat.

 

[andromedaslove]

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. It hurts like a ...... Here is some information I have found helpful......

While every lower-leg injury has its specific biomechanical causes, all are rooted in tight calf muscles and relative weakness in the front leg muscles. What's going on is that your tight calves are pulling up on your heel, which in turn pulls the front of your foot down. This puts strain on the muscles in the front of your leg, which unfortunately are not strong enough to resist the pulling. Ouch.

Check out this link for more info ..... lower leg pain

The pain I get is on the inside of my legs on my shins. The thing that I have used to help is taking a five pound dumbbell and using my toes to lift it off the ground. I do this a couple of times a day, and it has done a lot to strengthen the muscle on the front of my legs, and seems to have kept away the pain.

Hope this helps.

Dana

 

[disney-princess]

I get shin splints on a TM all the time or on a track when I'm walking fast (and well I can just forget about running) I also have bad knees and I use the elliptical at the gym and it has never given me shin splints or bothered my knees to bad either. I believe I get shin splints from the intense pounding on the hard surfaces.

 

[twotoohappy]

Thanks everyone

I start back at the gym today I'm so excited

 

[VistaLeigh'smommy]

here is a tip from my track days!

To prevent shin splints there is a great exersize that strengthens them!


Put a towel on the floor in front of you, laid out flat. With bare feet, stand on one end and scrunch up the towel with your toes. Try and get all the way through the towel. If you do that a couple times before you start running it will get your shins ready for the impact. After you have been running for a long time you won't have to worry so much.


Also, some people used to put one leg in the air while sitting down and draw the alphabet with their toes. I always hated that one because it took to long, but you could do it while watching TV, so it's easy to get done!



good luck!!!