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Advice needed on shin pain & form URGENTLY
therams333
✭✭
<p>I began running on and off around 6 months ago. I got to a point where I could run 5k semi-easily but always struggled with shin splints. </p>
<p>I’ve recently started again and I’m massively struggling. I think my form is terrible and stomp a lot when I run. I feel like I stomp to support my shins when they begin to hurt. I’m 14.5 stone (used to weigh 19st) so I’m still very overweight (6ft2), and it’s absolutely breaking my shins. </p>
<p>I just can’t change my form. Some runs I will feel absolutely fantastic. I will feel so light on my feet and I have even managed to run for over an hour recently, but then on the next run my shins will ache almost instantly and I can’t carry on. When I get shin pain my heart rate goes through the roof and it’s so hard, however when I’m feeling fine it’s a breeze and my heart rate is lower. I don’t go very fast due to my weight. </p>
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</p>
<p>It’s really starting to get me down now, I just don’t know what to do. I feel like my fitness would allow me to run a lot further and with more speed, but something to do with my form isn’t allowing it (stomping), but I don’t know how to fix it. </p>
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</p>
<p>Please can someone help? Fundamentally, something isn’t right. </p><div>
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<p>I’ve recently started again and I’m massively struggling. I think my form is terrible and stomp a lot when I run. I feel like I stomp to support my shins when they begin to hurt. I’m 14.5 stone (used to weigh 19st) so I’m still very overweight (6ft2), and it’s absolutely breaking my shins. </p>
<p>I just can’t change my form. Some runs I will feel absolutely fantastic. I will feel so light on my feet and I have even managed to run for over an hour recently, but then on the next run my shins will ache almost instantly and I can’t carry on. When I get shin pain my heart rate goes through the roof and it’s so hard, however when I’m feeling fine it’s a breeze and my heart rate is lower. I don’t go very fast due to my weight. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s really starting to get me down now, I just don’t know what to do. I feel like my fitness would allow me to run a lot further and with more speed, but something to do with my form isn’t allowing it (stomping), but I don’t know how to fix it. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Please can someone help? Fundamentally, something isn’t right. </p><div>
</div>
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Comments
There are few different factors that can come into play here, but unless you really push through the pain for a long time none of them are serious.
The likelihood is that you are pronating your feet a little as you run and this is placing stress across the shin instead of directly through it. This causes the shin bone and surrounding muscles to become painful.
For symptomatic relief you can try anti-inflammatories, ice, massaging the muscles in the lower leg and rest.
But in an ideal world you would be assessed by somebody who can examine your muscles and joints from your hips to your toes.
I'm a chiropractor and I examine/treat people with shin splints all the time, but some chiros don't - preferring to focus more on the spine - so ring around and ask the question about shin pain first.
There are some running focused physios who can provide education on efficient gait, usually by watching you on a treadmill. This can be useful to see where you're going wrong although is usually pretty expensive and doesn't always tell you how to fix the problem.
Podiatrists can prescribe inserts to go in your running shoes. This can off-load the muscles in the lower leg and sometimes provides good symptomatic relief.
Hopefully this helps a little, if you have any questions let me know.
Best wishes,
David
I got shin splints after I started running too, almost 20 years ago, as I started ramping up the distance to train for a marathon. It's not always what people like to hear, but the thing that worked for me was resting for a bit, then running lower mileage for quite a long time. The heart, lungs and muscles can all adapt to exercise fairly quickly compared to some of the bone /joint /ligament parts, and they just need time to get used to running. I was told to get orthotics, but never bothered to be honest. I did find they returned a little a year or two ago when I increased the mileage too quickly again, but again responded to a reduced mileage and more gradual increase.
As surehealth mentioned there are some things to ease the pain, but be cautious if taking anti-inflammstories, as they can ease the pain, allowing you to keep running more, which can end up worsening things. Again, as mentioned, an assessment by someone can help identify any particular problems for you specifically.
There are a few exercises and stretches I found that helped, Google can usually show you some. Putting your foot on a towel and scrunching it up with your toes was on. Kneeling down, but with your foot plantarflexed (ie toes pointing behind you, and the top on your foot on the floor), and your bum sitting on your heels was a good one for me that I still use regularly
Unfortunately no quick fix, but can ease well with a bit of time imo