Is shin tightness when running shin splints?

It might be shin splints or it could be anterior compartment syndrome.  Or it could really tight calves that are causing pain in your shins.  A few questions.....

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/vst/index.php

Where exactly is the pain?

What is your running style? are you a heel striker? is your stride long? often times people will overstrike which causes a breaking effect which leads to shin pain. Try shortening your stride a bit and see if that helps, especially off the bike.

Do you stretch regularly, including your calves and shins? Since you already have PF, I am guessing you do not stretch your calves as much as you could. If not, this is one of the first things I would start doing to loosen up those muscles.

I know when I get lazy and don't warm up properly and stretch I am prone to more issues like you are describing.

Suzy

Hi Suzy,

Thanks for the link.   It could be compartment syndrome and am pretty sure it is not shin splints.  As far as teh compartment syndrome, I am not totally sure yet since I don't  have problems moving my foot up or down and actually sitting on the floor with my leg slightly bent and pulling my toes/foot upwards to flex it eases the pain which then allows me to run again.  Also, the pain eases if I walk for a while rather than running.   I don't have any pain when pointing my toes.  I am really focusing on stretching my legs now hoping that it is just tight muscles in my calves, shins and hamstrings.

The pain is in both shins about midway up my legs along and outside of the shin bone.  It does not hurt down towards my ankles or up at my knees.

I am a midfoot striker and don't really have a long stride.  I do sometimes have a habit of striking too far forward on my feet (ball of foot or even almost on my toes) and probably is the cause of the pain. 

Hi Randi,

I posted a similar question last year when I started my walk/run program.  I was sure it couldn't be shin splints...not sure why I was so sure, probably just denial!

I had been seeing a physical therapist for something else and mentioned the tightness to him, and he declared it indeed was shin splints.  Damn!

Seeing as you already have orthotics, that is probably half the battle.  The other half would be to try using a rolling pin on the shins.  Someone gave me that advice, and to get orthotics, both of which I've done and I haven't had a problem since.

The thing about the rolling pin is to do it VERRRRRRYYY gingerly.  It's very painful to apply much pressure at all, so do it very slowly, and build up the pressure gently.  Don't be in a hurry to massage it out.  You wanna loosen it up a bit, and then build up to being able to dig in there, rocking the rolling pin over little tiny areas at a time, not long rolls up and down the leg.

I did this for about 10 mins a nite for about 4 days and it cleared up.  Now, any time I feel a twinge of it coming on, I roll and ice, and it goes away immediately.

I hope this helps you--I totally "get" the frustration this causes!  (All my blogs from last summer are me complaining about it!)

Dana 

Thanks Dana.  Okay, maybe it is shin splints. I did not think it was because of the location of the pain not being right above my ankle but higher up on my leg.  Who knows. I will try your rolling pin thing.  I do have orthotics in my shoes already so that is taken care of.

I also found some stretches for the shins/calves that I can add to my stretching routine for my knee and feet.  Hopefully all these things will help so that I can someday actually run the run leg of a triathlon.  For now, I am resigned to walking the run portion of my next tri in less than a month. I will be happy if I can walk it faster than I walked my first one.

Yeah, mine were very high up too, and on the sides.  In my mind, the shins are the front bony part of the lower leg, and I was feeling it on the sides about 5 inches north of my ankles.  Go figure.

Don't quit!  You'll get there.  Everyone's given you great advice, so give it a few weeks.

PS:  I have a sticky note on my computer at work that says "ABC"--to remind myself to write the abc's with my toes while I'm sitting there all day!  My PT recommended it.

Just a quick update - I spent the weekend stretching and doing the ABC's with my feet.  I headed to the Y to run on the elevated track today and was able to do finish my scheduled workout  48  minutes (3 min walk/1 min run). I did stretch before I started and again about 8  minutes in when my calves/shins started to tighten up.  I shortened my stride which helped with the midfoot strike and I switched from my superfeet inserts back to the orthotics from the podiatrist. I cooled down for a few laps and then stretched again.  I think that the combination of all these things mae for a VERY successful training session.

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions.  I don't think today would have been possible without them.