Shin splints (yes I know your all bored)

[Deleted User]

Hello all
I have had shin splints for the past 3 months. I went to the docs and he said rest(no supprise). I have rested twice and am taking loads of ibuprofin? After about 2 weeks rest I still have a sore patch just about the middle inside of my shin. I've looked at my running style and alterd it, used ice and ice heat treatment. and now I m lost for what next. After one longer run approx 5 miles my whole lower leg felt exceptionally tight and my shin were killing, could the problem be over tight calfs.

Thanks for you help

lee

Doubly Bionic Ironwolf

Lee, try this exercise. While sitting down, hang a light weight on your foot, and raise your toes towards the shins, repeat 10 times. Then do with the other leg too. Can be done anywhere, sitting at a desk, watching TV, anything.

S.A.

SS - The Last Unicorn

OK - add onto Sheila's exercise roation of the foot in each direction - could use a theramend elastic band thingy - or wall weights (6lb) whilst sitting on the gym floor if you go to one.

Also read this http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0161.htm

but all the exercises take forever.


So far I have almost cured a lifelong shin splint problem which previously resulted in several physios telling me never to run again by
1. Getting full (hyper) extension of the knee joints - this got rid of 80% of them
2. Getting orthotics which raised the foot of the leg which had the remaining 20% of serious shin pain / stress fracture pain

The combination of 1 + 2 has also sorted out desperately deep calf muscle pain in the apparently shorter leg and I no longer have Achilles tendonitis - all that remains is for someone - somewhere to get my quads right and I'll be away. Have recently done loads of 30 mile weeks without even a whimper from my shins but am desperately sore with the quads which I know is an imbalance problem caused by a lousy skeleton strucutre and a twisted pelvis.

E mail me if you want chapter & verse about the knee extension thingy

[Deleted User]

agree with everything SS says above, Ive had the same problem and now wear custom orthosis to control the rate of pronation of the foot which is what leads to the soreness that you are experiencing. There are loads of factors at work here and the only way to sure that you do whats right for you, is to get yourself along to a reputable sports injury clinic where they can do video analysis of your running gait on a treadmill. Not particularly cheap but it will eliminate months/years of trial and error. They will almost certainly endorse the exercises mentioned in the other replies.

Good Luck

Jenks

[Deleted User]

Thanks to all.

I'll have ago at the exercises above and see if they help. I've just been for a walk-jog(more walk) with my G/f and have a mild ache still in middle of my shin.

I've checked my shoes for the ware patterns and I tend to ware the outside edge heals(heavyly) of them and the middle fore foot area, is this normal. I've ajusted the mechanics of my running so I land with a flat foot to avoid slaping down the front.

I heck the www pahe and its got some good info thanks.

[Deleted User]

Hi Lee

Boy i sympathise with you, it really is frustrating when you are injured particularly if you are stuck in a loop like you are.

I suffer the same problem hence the name, is the pain on the inner side of the calf and near to the bone? If so then what you could have is an adhesion of the muscle to the bone. What happens when you run is you get microscopic damage of the muscle. This can take the form of a bleed, the muscle then goes on to heal and becomes stronger.

What can happen, is that when the muscle heals it can attach itself to the bone, by doing this it vitually loses its function. Rather than expanding and contracting as you run its unable to do so because it is fixed to the bone. You then have a loss of flexibility in your leg as well as pain when you walk/run.

The way out of this is to get a sports massage (won't do any harm anyway) where with cross friction they can get all the fibres re-aligned. May hurt like hell 1st time, but will be worth it.

Good luck.

[Deleted User]

I once developed shin splints in exactly the same place as yourself. I had them for just over a year...until i discovered my correct shoe type and the problem was cured instantly. I had ran in Nike air max(cushioned)but switched to Saucony grid omni(stability) and have not looked back.
obviously your mechanics will probably be completely different to mine but it is important that you double check your correct shoe type.

[Deleted User]

well, lots of info to look at.

Tim I,ve tryed resting and prevention with little luck so far, but that with my body and problems. I also at first contiuned to run with them and the did not get any worse, I streched and used ice after the runs. But they never seem to go away which leads to the inability to increase training, I just seem to be stuck at this point

[Deleted User]

had a similar problem, but no idea why it was occuring till a friend of mine threw away my reboks and lent me his new balance. never had them again (never thought that would be possible).

sports massage can do wonders. reading what everyone has written and what I've read in the past, it could be a combination of things....

SS - The Last Unicorn

Yes I think it must be a combination of factors - depending on each persons bio-mechanics.

Having been told by countless physios since I ws 17 (2* years ago) never to run again becos I was on the verge of stress fractures - and having never been able to run more than 15 miles a week without being crippled by shin splints (I once had 27 feet of taping wrapped round my shins trying to reduce the pain - it did - a bit) I'm now doing 30 mile weeks frequently - on the roads - without really a hint of a shin splint except when I lose full mobility in the knee joint.

So don't give up...try every quack remedy you can!

PS resting just returns the injury to the state it was when you took up the activity which caused the injury in the first place so if it's a biomechanical fault resting won't achive a permanent solution
PPS Voltarol - applied for 3 days - can deaden the legs brilliantly for a race (I didn't really say that, V-Rap!)

[Deleted User]

I've suffered shin splints for a long time. Even years ago when I was at school I would get them from walking the mile home (worse going uphill). I saw a sports physio who told me I drop and twist my hip slightly when I run which pushes the knee inwards and contributes further to my overpronation. She has given me excercises to strengthen the 'bum' muscles and to stretch calf and hamstring as lack of movement here worsens the condition. Yesterday I went to a podiatrist for custom orthotics. What I wonder though is, should I rest until the pain goes before trying the orthotics or will the injury gradually ease as I use them? I don't really want to rest as I'm running New York in 8 weeks so need to get the miles in.

[Deleted User]

thank you all for the info and I'm trying to take it in at present. No thanks to my crap ISP though. Thanks to ss for the e-mail and when the ISP starts to work properly Ill have a look at the links

Once again thanks to all