shin splints

[daisy2jae]

I have been running on and off for a year. I started on a regular basis in November. However after a week or so I get shin splints. To the point I can barely walk. I have good shoes. I have followed the advice of training light. I run 1-2 miles every other day on a treadmill. (I can't outside due to weather). After I get them I take time off till they feel better. What can I do to stop getting them? I started wearing a support wrap and that seems to be helping some. I'm not sure if I'm placing it correctly on my shins. Wondering if that could be the problem. On my off days if I do light cardio should I wear the wraps or not? Anyone else experience this problem?

 

[timmac]

How long have you had those "good" shoes? And were you getting assistance from knowledgeable people (preferably a running specialty store) when you bought them?

Assuming you're all set with shoes, start out very slow, mostly walking, gradually adding in some running, similar to a C25K plan. Be generous with the ice on your legs after each session if there is any discomfort and take plenty of time to ease yourself back in.

Failing all of that, time to see your doc for a referral to an orthopedic specialist, possibly.

 

[TnMaryJo]

I would also recommend ice liberally after each run. Also, ibuprofen helps to reduce inflammation. So, unless otherwise contraindicated, I would do ibuprofen when the problem starts arising again.

And I agree with taking it a little easier for a while.

 

[ohMom]

great advice above, just adding a thought

i get them too...and have even gone to PT when they get awful. at PT they ice to the point feels numb, then massage Biofreeze and really work the muscle right there in the front, in a vertical massage with thumbs really digging. i remember it "hurt so good" i found I recovered fairly quickly.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I have been running on and off for a year. I started on a regular basis in November. However after a week or so I get shin splints. To the point I can barely walk. I have good shoes. I have followed the advice of training light. I run 1-2 miles every other day on a treadmill. (I can't outside due to weather). After I get them I take time off till they feel better. What can I do to stop getting them? I started wearing a support wrap and that seems to be helping some. I'm not sure if I'm placing it correctly on my shins. Wondering if that could be the problem. On my off days if I do light cardio should I wear the wraps or not? Anyone else experience this problem?

Rest Ice Compression Elevate as you are seeming to be aware, just want to make sure you have heard this.

Have your shoes been fitted by a person trained to do so? Many of the local running stores have good people who can identify the best shoe for you. Also, make sure the shoes do not have too many miles on them. They break down after about 300 +/- miles.

You may need an arch support if you don’t have them.

It may be a case of too much too fast. The impact on TM can be a bit difficult. Perhaps approaching it at a slower speed until you can build up more strength. Do you train TM with incline or not? I'm not certan how this affects things.

Shorten your stride. Don’t stretch the front foot out too far push off more with the back foot. Take shorter quicker steps. Put your heel down and roll through the step

Strengthen the muscles front/back of the area.
-try toe raises. Stand up. Slowly rise up on your toes, then slowly lower your heels to the floor
-wihle sitting and your leg resting trace the alphabet with your toes, kind of like toe circles only moving toes around a bit differently
-try walking around on your tip toes once in a while and walking around on your heels
-Walk backwards
-Stretch before and after strenuous activity
-cross train with light impact swimming, elliptical

 

[crewmatt]

All the other advice is very good, RICE especially. If you're going to be using a pain reliever, I would make sure you don't continue to run/etc. Remember that just because you aren't feeling the pain doesnt mean the damage isnt there.

Shin Splints can be caused by one of 2 major causes.

1) Muscle Imbalance - you obviously use your calves way more than you use the other muscles along the front of your foot. This imbalance can cause pain and inflammation. Swimming and water jogging can help balance the muscles as water provides resistance in both directions while at the same time elimination the impact.

2) Stress Fractures - these are usually the 2nd stage, and this has a lot to do with either A overuse (putting in too many miles) or B increasing too fast (more likely in your situation). Your muscles and cardiovascular system can get in shape far faster than the bones and joints that are required to support them. In general you don't want to add more than 5-10% every week. And you should back off every 4th week for a week before resuming the increase. This will allow your bones and joints the time they need to strengthen and repair any damage.

 

[daisy2jae]

I took some time off and my legs are not bothering me at all now. However this seems to always be the case. I'm going to run tonight. This time I'm going to try starting at a slower pase than I usually do. More like a light jog. I hope this will help. I know my shoes are good to go. I bought them from a store trained to get the right shoe. I had them looked at by a chiropractor that also treats running issues. She had me use a support in the shoe which seems to also help a little. After reading the comments and looking back at my running history I wonder if I increased too fast. I would like to think I didn't since I read and knew I wasn't suppose to. BUT I noticed my times got better but my distanced slowed down. I think I got greedy and just didn't want to think I did. I'm going to slow things up and hope this helps. Aim for distance and no pain! Keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for the advice. It's helped. I guess we'll see how this week goes.

 

[Rose&Mike]

FWIW, I have gotten shin splints every time I've taken up running. This time I am cross-training, not running more than 3 times a week, and doing the elliptical on the other days. It's doing two things, slowing down how fast I add miles, and the elliptical really stretches my calves. No shin splints so far, and really very minor soreness, usually only on really long workouts (60 min.).
Good luck!

 

[daisy2jae]

FWIW, I have gotten shin splints every time I've taken up running. This time I am cross-training, not running more than 3 times a week, and doing the elliptical on the other days. It's doing two things, slowing down how fast I add miles, and the elliptical really stretches my calves. No shin splints so far, and really very minor soreness, usually only on really long workouts (60 min.).
Good luck!

Thanks for the idea. I may have to try this. My husband keeps saying this but for some reason I don't want to give in. I want to add up the miles but doesn't get me far when I have to take a week off once a month.

I ran monday night and got in 4 miles at a slow pace of 5.2 for speed. I only did one mile tuesday night and went 5.3 for speed. Not much but my shins actually feel good. A little sore but not bad.

Wondering what thoughts are....I work at home doing daycare. We don't allow shoes on the carpet. I spend the day in socks. Could that cause any problems for me? Should be wearing my gym/running shoes on the carpet?

 

[tracyz]

Just to reiterate the importance of the right running shoe. If you did not have a trained person from a running store do an analysis, you may not be in the right shoe. A "good" shoe does not necessarily equate to the "right" shoe for you. From my experience, I had shin splints all the time, trying shoe after shoe, until someone told me I needed to try motion control shoes, and it was like a magic fix. No more shin splints!

 

[daisy2jae]

Just to reiterate the importance of the right running shoe. If you did not have a trained person from a running store do an analysis, you may not be in the right shoe. A "good" shoe does not necessarily equate to the "right" shoe for you. From my experience, I had shin splints all the time, trying shoe after shoe, until someone told me I needed to try motion control shoes, and it was like a magic fix. No more shin splints!

I went to a running store and they used a computer pad to check my feet. They wanted me to use a new balance shoe. I tried it and hated it. I went back to Scheel's where I've been going for years. They put me in a shoe and I love them. They feel good. My chiropractor put me in a shoe insert to help for a little extra support. My shoes have apx 65-70 miles right now on them.

Where did you get your motion control shoes?

 

[crewmatt]

Quick question - what shoes are you in now and what were the new balances that you hated. This will let us know if you're in a shoe that could actually be causing a problem and could combine features to get you the perfect shoe.

Something else that came to my mind as I was running in the snow yesterday and was really watching how I was running. Something that new runners tend to do is overstride and land incorrectly. I used to do that for years and only since taking up marathoning in the last couple years have I made a significant change to improve this - I didnt even realize how much of a problem it was till I made the change. Basically when you're running you want to take shorter steps then you think u need to take. Try to keep your knees slightly bent, and as you run you basically want to shuffle, not to bound step to step. If you have a fence to run next to or other horizontal line, try to make sure you're not bouncing up and down too much. You want to take more quick shorter stride steps, as that will reduce the impact load on your legs. Also how do you land (do you hit with the back of your foot, the middle of your foot, or your toes). Not that any one of these is wrong - I know lots of runners with each type of strike, but each can have its own unique problems.

Basically tho, when you're running, a fun game to play is to sneak up on people. The quieter your foot falls the less stress you're going to be putting on your bones and joints.

 

[daisy2jae]

Women's ASICS GEL-Kayano 16 is the shoe I currently have been using. I only use it indoors on a treadmill. I noticed a couple weeks ago I was taking large steps while running. I've started taking shorter steps and I noticed a difference. Sounds crazy but I don't get tired as fast and my legs don't get as sore. I use to land on my heel. I was told by my dr to try and land on my front part of my foot. According to the type of shoe (where the sole is landing) she thinks this could also help. I started doing this. All these little things I've started doing seems to have made a difference. My left shin bothers me but nothing like it has in the past. I have velcro wraps I put on each shin. Does anyone else use these? Things have gotten better since I started using these but I've made so many adjustments to my running I'm not 100% sure they are making a difference. I hate to keep wearing them if I don't need to. Any opinions? The new balance shoes I returned were New Balance 1225 style: WR1225ST - Women's. The arch really bothered me. I have to admit I love my asics BUT the last 2 times I have run the left doesn't feel right. The arch support seems to push too hard on my foot. After I run for a little (5 minutes or so) it seems to be okay. The left is the shin that bothers me at the end. So how do I go about figuring this problem out?

 

[jennz]

Quick question - what shoes are you in now and what were the new balances that you hated. This will let us know if you're in a shoe that could actually be causing a problem and could combine features to get you the perfect shoe.

Something else that came to my mind as I was running in the snow yesterday and was really watching how I was running. Something that new runners tend to do is overstride and land incorrectly. I used to do that for years and only since taking up marathoning in the last couple years have I made a significant change to improve this - I didnt even realize how much of a problem it was till I made the change. Basically when you're running you want to take shorter steps then you think u need to take. Try to keep your knees slightly bent, and as you run you basically want to shuffle, not to bound step to step. If you have a fence to run next to or other horizontal line, try to make sure you're not bouncing up and down too much. You want to take more quick shorter stride steps, as that will reduce the impact load on your legs. Also how do you land (do you hit with the back of your foot, the middle of your foot, or your toes). Not that any one of these is wrong - I know lots of runners with each type of strike, but each can have its own unique problems.

Basically tho, when you're running, a fun game to play is to sneak up on people. The quieter your foot falls the less stress you're going to be putting on your bones and joints.

Great info! Thanks!!

 

[daisy2jae]

Thanks for all the ideas. Some of the things I've tried must be helping. I ran 3.5 miles tonight and my left shin is a little sore but I had a great run. I wish I felt like this everytime I run. I still have a odd feeling with the left foot wondering if I should take the insert out of just the left and since the right feels great. Any thoughts?

 

[daisy2jae]

went to the dr this week. no hair line fracture. My shins are back to killing me and it's driving me crazy! Looks like I'm heading to PT tomorrow to see if they can help me.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I'm sorry it is still a nagging, painful problem. I'm glad you are trying to figure it out rather than giving up. Keep fighting.

 

[daisy2jae]

thanks for the support. I went to PT today. Sounds like I can keep running but at small amounts no more than a mile at a time. Not sure how to spell the names of the muscles but my shin-calf muscles don't flex as they should. I get to do exercises at home 3-4 times per day. Should see some results in 2-3 months. Seems so long away but not ready to give up on this running thing. I finally found something I like and I'm not giving up without a fight!

 

[crewmatt]

Awesome that its not stress fractures. Couple ideas would be to goto a track (which is softer than the roads/sidewalks). Also you might want to look at taking slightly shorter strides and landing softly. If I'm running and its going well for me, and I pass people on a trail usually they dont even hear me coming. The quieter your feet are hitting the surface obviously the less shock your sending through your system. Hope it works out.

 

[daisy2jae]

thanks for the ideas...I'm going to try to keep this in mind next time I run. I got outside yesterday for the first time since november!!!! I loved it and it went smooth.