Shin Splints

heading to a local running store today, see what I can get
running along the beach for beach PT day, and now I my shins feel ridiculous.

 

stretch before running
use a sleeve, ace bandage, or tape the legs
take anti inflammatories (advil, aleve)
ice after running
run on the flattest trails / roads possible. run offroad is possible, if it hurts STOP, you will need to build up tolerance
strengthen your calf muscles
get a good arch support in your shoe (probably the most important thing you can do except rest)
the best treatment is resting

shin splints are very, VERY, rarely, fracture in the bones, even hairline is rare.
it is swelling, stretching or damage, of the connective tissues in the area

 

I ran track in high school... if I stretched before I did any running, my shins would hurt afterwards. I had to run to warm up, then could stretch, finish my work out, stretch again afterwards and no pain.

 

Definitely go to a running store and have them observe your running style and fit you in the right shoe. My girlfriend is a runner (she runs 3.5 miles a day 6-7 days a week) and she will also tell you how important the shoe is. I used to run as a hobby back in high school and have recently gotten back into it since I started dating her. One brand of shoe may work for someone else but might not be right for you.

The minimalist shoes are really taking off. They basically force you to use the muscles in your foot and legs which traditional running shoes don't. They are essentially like running barefoot but with some protection for the soles of your feet.

My neighbor is a personal trainer and up until about a year ago said he had really bad shin splints, He found it was because of his running style. He actually started running barefoot to correct his running style. When he started changing it, He would run a lap around our subdivision (1.5 miles) barefoot, then he would put on his running shoes and run the rest of his run. Now he runs in Vibrams usually 6+ miles at a time.

Also there is a lot of recent research that shows stretching before running isn't really beneficial and in fact can be harmful. I personally do not stretch.

 

I also had the shin splints for a while and i took the just push through it idea. Now I have a stress fracture and it wont go away I took like 14 weeks off from running and went to spin classes (ass kicker btw) and they started to run again and now guess what? Its back so now im just to the point that is just going to hurt for a little while and deal with it.. So take care of them before it gets bad and turns into a stress fracure..

 

As soon as I changed my shoes, they went away. May not be a bad idea to get a little spendy for a good pair of shoes.

 

BANG!

Some new Saucony shoes... Feels better for how I run than my New Balance's... I'll see how it works. Thanks guys.

 

gotta love sauconys

 

Dynamic stretching before your run
Static stretching followed by ice after your run
At home sit on the couch and lay a towel out on the floor. Use your toes to wrinkle the towels towards you, will help strengthen the muscles that are causing the problem. A cold tub is the best option if you have access to one. Submerge everything up to the knee. Don't ice for too long it will start to have a negative effect <15 minutes.

 

will do, thanks!

 

I hate shin splints I ran xc my senior year with the worst shoes you can possibly imagine no shin splints. Then I did soccer my sport and no shin splints but when track season came around I bought me some nice nike running shoes and BAM SHIN SPLINTS! I thought I was immune! But I am in college now so it went away go with icing and stretching like the guys above me been saying and yes get some good running shoes I loved my nikes even tho they where expensive they do help out tremendously. God Bless

 

How did those new shoes work out for ya?

I constantly have shin splints, they never ever go away. I weigh around 270 pounds, which is really bad but better than when I used to weigh 315, and I live a very active/athletic lifestyle. Did football, indoor and outdoor track all throughout high school and even back then I had them. Now I'm a senior in college and I really want to get into law enforcement or a fire department, so I have been really trying hard to lose weight. My shin splints were getting to the point that I had a real tough time walking with them so I went to a doctor and what he has me do helps (btw this is the third doctor I've seen about it).

He has me:

1. Ice, as other people have said

2. Stretch, especially the calf muscles

3. Naproxen, it is a prescription anti-inflammatory

Those three things have gotten me to the point where I'm not in pain 24/7. . . Maybe going to see a doctor about a prescription anti-inflammatory will help, it sure as hell helped me.

 

the new shoes helped a ton! have you tried grabbing some shoes?

I'm not as sore after I run, and the shoes plus the PT we've been doing cut my 2mile time by almost 3 minutes..

 

Strengthen your anterior tibialis. That is the muscle that runs along your fibula (shin bone) in the front of your leg.

Check this link http://www.livestrong.com/article/208085-exercises-to-overcome-shin-splints/

 

That's awsome, I have gone to a running place near my house. They gave me some motion control shoes that are supposed to limit the role my foot does as I run. Glad to hear the shoes helped.

 

New (properly fit) shoes and improve form.