Shin Splints

Shin splints have been the nemisis of my running career. Here's my advice:

Firstly, continuing to run on shin splints will increase your chances of stress fractures. I have had two, which is enough for the both us. I believe you could probably continue to run on them as long as the pain wasn't excrutiating, but personally I would go with the swimming or biking option until you have them under control.

Secondly, I have had trainers tell me that shin splits are caused when the calve muscles tighten up, straining tendons that attach the muscles to the shins, causing the pain. You may spend some time streching your calves out before and after your workouts.

Hopefully this helps. I am no M.D., so please don't take my advice as gospel. Good luck!

Edited by altmizzle 2005-01-23 1:48 PM

Yeah, I am another one of those people whose athletic lives have been ruined by shin splints. No stress fractures, but chronic pain for the last 14 years! The fact that I am even training to run a 5 km (in the sprint tri) is a huge deal for me, because I have been on a no-running plan for about 12 years.

So, my advice is switch your running to a walking program, and definitely ice after you do your walking. Slowly bring in running (like alternating two minutes running with two minutes walking in the 2nd or 3rd week), but focus on swimming and biking to keep your cardio going.

But BE CAREFUL--the ideal is to have no pain in your shins, and if you build up slowly, you should be able to achieve it.

In terms of stretching, definitely stretch your calves, but I have found that stretching my hips, quads and hamstrings has made even more of a difference. All leg muscles work together, so sometimes the shin pain originates somewhere other than the calves.

Good luck!
--Jennifer

PS Do you have orthotics and good running sneakers? That is a MUST. Go to the podiatrist for orthotics as quickly as you can, and if you are using your old running sneakers, get a new pair (supposedly they only have enough cushioning for about 6 months, tops).

Edited by jtat17 2005-01-23 2:06 PM

STOP! REST! ICE! IBUPROFEN!

Yep, don't try to run through them like I did.

I used to tape up my legs like a freggin horse and race on shin splints....I then figured out that it's not a good idea to do that....DUH

I changed my running shoes and the shin splints stopped.

Two frequent culprits:

Shoes that are slightly too long (frequently you can crank down the top three laces and stabilize your foot.

Running like a madman on the downhills.

I know this sounds silly, but I tap my toes. Running crosscountry back in highschool I used to get shin splints all the time, and my coach told me it was because the muscles infront weren't strong enough. Once I started tapping my toes I didn't have any problems. (Except for the occasional buying a shoe that looked cool but didn't work for my feet or wearing a pair of shoes a couple hundred miles too long). Whenever I think about it I tap my toes.

Also one trick I remeber from the training rooms, even in college, were paper cups filled with a mixture of water, some version of icy hot and a popcicle stick. You put them in the freezer and after a long run if you shins are sore, tear off the paper hold the stick and rub the block of ice on the affected area till it melts.

Happy Training!

I forgot about toe taps... I know some ex All-americans who swear by 100 toe taps before every run.

Not sure if its stretching or what.

If your pain is toward the inside of the leg, it is possibly caused from over-pronation (feet rolling inward) due to flat arches.  A motion control shoe might be the ticket.  I needed orthotics to to get the job done.  Of course I still wound up with a  stress fracture, but that's because I was too ambitious in my training regiment and didn't lay off when it hurt.  Be wary of  a stress fracture if the pain is only in one leg. 

Thanks for all the great advice. I don't think I did any long term damage so I'm going to rest my legs for a few days and make sure to stretch better.

What exactly do you mean by toe taps? Just lifting your heel off the ground and tapping your toes down? Seems to help but I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

Keep your heel on the ground and just lift up your toe, then put the toe back on the ground.