Shin Splints

jastrohm · August 10th, 2006, 09:03 AM

can someone please give me advice....i'm in the military and run 3-4 times per week for 3-6 miles. out of nowhere i now have extremely painful shin splints. what can i do?? my background:
6'0"...235lbs(bodybuilder-12%BF)....32 yrs old....2mile time-14:00
ANY advice will help. i have never had this problem before.
Thanks.

**TNT1** · August 11th, 2006, 03:03 AM

I used to run a bit after I stopped bike racing for a couple of years. Got my 10k time to a PB of 31:35. Then I also got bad shins. My sports doc said lay off the impact for 3 months and major calcium supplements for bone re-building. It worked, but I don't run anymore, so that is also maybe why. But for sure it was overtraining and impact from running on concrete that did it to me.

jhigga15 · October 11th, 2006, 11:05 AM

I have played soccer my whole life, so I have done a good bit of running. I stopped playung for about a year. I started training again and playing. I also got shin Splints. I tried everything, streaching, Ice, Icy hot, extra time to warm up. What worked and has solved my problem is that I got new running shoes. I got a pair on New Balance 1000's. Never had this problem again. go to a running store (A real one, not something like foot locker) and they will point you in the correct direction. I went for extra cousion.

thecameraguy99 · October 11th, 2006, 04:44 PM

I feel your pain. Been having them for last two months all of a sudden and eventually nailed it to my new shoes (Reeboks). Went back to my old shoes (New Balance) and was fine so it was the new shoes that were the culprit. Go to a proper running store and tell them your issues, bring in your current shoes, have them make you walk around barefoot and in the old shoes and they'll help you get proper shoes which will help, if not, cure the shin splints.

BUT - I find stretching out your shins and where the foot joins the leg also helps me. Check the web but the stretch I use is to sit on the floor with my feet tucked under my butt so that my feet get stretched out by using my body weight to stretch them out by the pressure my body weight puts on them.

flooman281 · October 13th, 2006, 10:46 PM

yeah, new shoes will usually solve your problem fairly quickly
but
since you're in the military i'm guessing you don't run in running shoes, rather you run in boots?
see if you can get arch supports or orthotics.

super_hero · November 27th, 2006, 04:10 PM

do more leg lifting. quads, hams, and calves especailly.

Dr.Feelgood · November 29th, 2006, 07:16 AM

I used to get shin-splits pretty badly.

I found that when I did get them I was overweight at the time (not your case), but I was also kind of grinding my feet against the ground when I was running, instead of just placing my feet on the ground like a normal runner.

This placed unnecessary stress on my shins and probably is what caused the pain.
When you're running just try and make sure you aren't putting too much extra stress on your shins.

Goodluck!

**bbabb22** · November 29th, 2006, 05:07 PM

It will help to stretch the front part of your leg by placing your toes on the ground and bringing your heel forward to stretch the front part of your leg. Its hard to explain but PM me if you need more details . also stretch your calves it will help. I get shin splints all the time and the main thing that helps is ice massage. Get a paper cup fill it with water and freeze it. then use it to massage the area that hurts. do it for about 5-7 mins at the beggingin of each hour for 3 hours at night. so at 7pm do it for 5 min then at 8pm do it for 5 mins ect. You can do the ice massage or just plain icing right after you run

to strengthen the front of your leg walk like down the hall or some thing a good distance one your heels then on your toes then outside of your foot then the inside. do each one there and back.then to front raises. those are just like calf raises but opposite.so you will lift up your toe.

mehoco · December 6th, 2006, 12:54 PM

something that you can do everyday to help prevent shin splints from ever comming back
1 tap your foot while sitting around - change feet every so often
2 pick things up with your feet - use your toes to pick up a sock
while they sound strange or simple they both work well for prevention of shin splints (the taping will help with the tightness when you have shin splints)
me

**justaguy87337** · December 13th, 2006, 02:58 PM

what I have done in the past is to tape my shins about half way down the shin bone. I tape from the outside of my leg, with the tape going around the back of the leg first. I use only one wrap. What this does is it help with the shock of running.

super_hero · December 19th, 2006, 02:00 PM

oh yea, i forgot all about kinseotaping

**Insex** · December 23rd, 2006, 01:45 AM

1. Buy good running shoes. The best ones are New Balance and Asics. Nike makes among the worst shoes for running.

2. Stretch. Aside from conventional calf stretches, you can make rotations with each foot by sticking your toes into the ground and making circles. Also, stick your toes into the ground and lean forward as much as possible. You should feel a nice stretch in the front part of your ankle. Do this same stretch to the sides too to properly stretch the ankles from all angles.

3. Do weight resistance exercises specifically for your shins. As bbabb22 suggested above, you can do Reverse Calf Raises by standing on your heels and lifting the front portion of your foot as high as possible as many times as possible. Another one of my favorites is what I call Shin Raises. Put one foot out in front of you, place a weight plate on your toes, while keeping your heel in constant contact with the floor, lift the front portion of your foot as high as possible as many times as possible. Then switch feet. As mehoco suggested above, you can also tap your feet. Walking on the heels of your feet can also help.

4. Make sure your running form is good too. Run on the balls of your feet (your toes). Run quietly too. If your steps are loud, you're probably running flat-footed, and that's terrible for your shins.

**aus4201** · January 12th, 2007, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecameraguy99

.......the stretch I use is to sit on the floor with my feet tucked under my butt so that my feet get stretched out by using my body weight to stretch them out by the pressure my body weight puts on them.

I've been following this advice over the last three weeks and it has helped considerably. At first it was fairly painful and difficult to hold for very long-as it always has been when I've done such a position in yoga. But I do this stretch now each morning and it has been helping with the SS considerably.

Now to get those recommended New Balance shoes.