Oh No! my shins are hurting again

[Deleted User]

After getting my shin splints sorted (more or less) for the London Marathon and enjoying a fairly pain free time ever since, I am now getting pains again.

3 weeks ago I started a regime of running 2 miles every morning before work with a 3 miler on Saturday and 6 miles on Sunday. No problems at all. last weekend I didn't run at all, nor Monday morning, but in the evening I did my 5.6 mile training loop in pouring rain in 45mins 53secs. Thats 2 minutes quicker than I have ever run it before and I felt as though I could have gone faster.

Tuesday morning my legs felt a bit stiff but yesterday evening and this morning my shins hurt for the whole 2 miles.

Although I have increased my mileage a bit, the orthosis I was prescribed should prevent overpronation so why the pain?

My partner wonders if it could be related to a change in weather, any ideas anyone?????

jenks

SS - The Last Unicorn

Jenks really sorry to hear that you're suffering again. Is it both legs / Same place as before ?

All I can think is that in suddenly flying round your 5.6m course you've been striding out more than usual instead of achieving a faster leg turnover rate if that makes sense and that could then stress the muscles along the tibia again and would also expalin why your legs felt a bit stiff. I'm just guessing tho as I'm completely incapable of running at your speed but I know people who tried 'power walking' and suffered shin splints cos they were overstriding!

SS - The Last Unicorn

Sorry hit the submit buttion before I could say I really hope this settles down quickly for you

Twin Dad Twice

Hi Jenks - sorry to hear about your probs. Just wondering, do you have any pain/tightness in your lower back?

Ages ago, following your (very kind) recommendation I went and got some shin pain sorted out at Medifix. I thought the problem was with my leg, but the diagnosis from nice physio was that the root of my problems was with my lumbar spine. I'd had bouts of back pain/stiffness on and off, but never thought that that could be the problem.

Anyway, I've dabbled with pilates, Alexander technique and have now got into doing a 90min yoga class once a week. The effect has been amazing. Back pain under control, leg pain gone, running improved. Might be worth a try, if you haven't already. Waaay cheaper than a physio and great exercise.

Incidentally, I run in Grid Stabils & Addiction 4's (not one of each at the same time!) and am quite heavy for a runner (13.5 stone & 5'10").

Hope this is of some help.

All the best, Lee.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your suggestions SS and Lee, I think you may both have something. Firstly SS, yes I was striding out a bit more than usual, and now my legs only feel capable of small strides, especially, when I first start off.

Secondly Lee, how spooky, I do have occational problems with my lower back and on the day before my leg problems restarted, I spent several hours wriggling about under my sone Mini. This resulted in a very stiff back that prevented me going for my planned evening run. It was still a bit stiff when I went out on my flier the following evening. Hmmm.....

I,m glad that Medifix were able to sort you out, I hear through this forum that they seem to have ceased trading. What is pilates and the Alexander technique?.

Thanks for your help

cheers

jenks

Twin Dad Twice

Hello again - as I understand it, pilates is a method of exercise which targets and strengthens the key postural muscles in the body which helps correct muscle imbalance/misalignment etc. It's very relaxing too, although it wasn't quite right for me.

I'm no expert, so here's some stuff from people waaaay more qualified to talk!

www.backpain.org/pages/t_pages/tb-pilates.htm

Alexander technique is to do with becoming aware of how your body and how it works. Basically you try to unlearn all the bad habits that we tend to pick up as we grow up, habits like poor posture . It's especially concerned with the relationship between the head, neck and back - if the relationship.

There's a pretty good book called 'The Art of Running' which applies the Alexander technique specifically to running (Amazon stock it).

Here's another site that explains it all a bit better than me:

http://www.synergy-health.co.uk/articles/alexander.html

Must stop rambling! Hope this is useful.

Lee.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Lee, I'll do some smurfing.

jenks