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Nagging pain in my right shin a couple inches above my ankle
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Since March, I've been dealing with shin splins. (I had my 3rd full marathon scheduled for May). I got an MRI per doctors orders, and it came back clear. (This was about a month ago). I took a few weeks off running, and then I ran the marathon anyways by doing a walk/run split. I know it wasn't the smartest decision, but it happened, and I know not to do that again.
I ended up feeling great after the marathon, I ran 3 times the week after, and 3 times the week after that. Sticking to 3-4 miles. I've bumped it up to 5-6 now. I started to notice that the very inner part of my bone hurts in just one spot. When I press on it, it has a very strong burning sensation. I cringe when I press on it. But it's pressed on firmly, so maybe it's in my head? So I've continued to run, thinking the pain is in my head and that I'm not actually injured. It hurts to run, starts out sore, and just gets worse as I run. By the end of the run, I'm limping, and after I'm sitting down for a while (with some ibprophen), the pain subsides for a while. I've had shin splints before, and usually it's a muscle pain. This feels a lot deeper. I've had stress fracture scares before, but this is a lot different and actually hurts quite a bit when I run and my foot start to ache too when I'm running (on the same leg where there's pain). I'm able to run through the pain, I don't know if I'm just a stubborn runner, or if the pain just isn't that bad. I do have a high pain tolerance. Also, it doesn't hurt much if I hop on one leg once, but it aches if I do 10 hops, and it hurts to go up the stairs if it's a jog. My leg isn't swollen, maybe a little more cushioned around my ankle than the other, but no huge difference. The pain seems to ache even when I'm not running but at very random times during the day, and usually it's BEHIND my ankle, which I find strange. I'm larger boned, and about 10 pounds overweight. Not sure if that would have anything to do with it.
Has anyone dealt with this kind of pain before? Can you please share your experience? I know you can't diagnose me, as I have a dr appointment but not for a whole week.
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Comments
Anyone?
yeah - it could be the muscle sheath. I'm not up on physiology but it's to do with not giving your muscle enough time to recover. It could lead to a stress fracture if you ignore it and it gets worse.
It's something along the lines of the sheath being inflamed, could be a tear or something similar.
Simply put, you'll have to rest until it's fully heeled but you should be able to xtrain.
Thanks for the reply!!
I hope that it's not bad, whatever it is. I have a doctors appointment scheduled for next Tuesday.
Ordinary Gps tend not to be very good at treating sports injuries. May be better to go to a sports physio.
Yeah, I'm going to work on getting into a sports physio... is that the same as a sports physical therapist? I wonder if physical therapy would help.
I had similar pains recently and I noticed that if I ice them (bag of frozen peas or what not) after my run the pain would quickly subside. I usually ice each shin for 15 mins, and then repeat an hour or so later until I am confident that any swelling has subsided. Been doing this for a few weeks even after runs that I can't feel the pain, and all seems well so far.
Good luck @ the GP's.
Thanks stujones!
I will be icing more.
I am noticing i am more sore in the morning and at night. Ibprofin seems to help subside pain.
I have the same problem every now and again, inflamed sheath as someone has mentioned.
what I have learned is that if my leg hurts.......my back is 'out'. I have a long standing lumber/SI problem, normally fairly well behaved, but if it is in just one side, try a good osteopath or physio just in case it's related to your back (or one leg longer etc)
You never know, good luck with it anyway!
Thank you!
I'm going to try foam rolling too...
I'm wondering if it's not tendonitis in my shin... HMMMM. Good thing i'm going to the doctor.
Speaking as a Paramedic...............depends on the Doctor!!!
I went to the sports science/rehab place at Bolton Uni, (they teach phyios, coaches etc etc), I got a really good running assessment, which was subsidised by the uni, so it was cheap. Also massage for £7 - can't argue with that! Your local Uni might have similar, maybe worth a go if it continues after resting it. Good luck!
Unfortunately i'm not at uni anymore. I'm home for the summer. Oh and my doctor is just a podiatrist. Not a sports doctor.
Thanks!!
Okay, so I figured out that if I take tylonol PM the night before my morning run, I don't have much calf/shin pain. But I didn't take any last night before bed, ran this morning (5 miles) and pain came on gradually and was pretty bad 30 minutes into my run. I ran for an hour. But I ran 30 minutes out on a trail, so I had to do 30 back.
I didn't know tylonol PM would effect the pain in my leg...hope they'll tell me whats wrong tomorrow.
good to know you found something that eased the pain. I read an article someone posted on here the other day about what drugs to take / avoid for running pains. I couldn't find that specific article again, though there is a good one on the US Runners World site:
http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/pill-problem
According to the article Tylenol (aka Acetaminophen / Paracetemol) seems to not cause any issues when used in moderation, though its definitely something you should mention to the GP.
I've had some minor shin problems the last month and dealt with it by icing for a couple of days and cutting out all long runs and speed work and switched to doing all runs on grass. I had a bad deep ache in both bones for 2-3 evenings which subsided and gradually it has improved. After 4.5 weeks I am almost better I think, but still being cautious. However if the pain was continually needing icing and was as bad as yours is I would by now have concluded that further resting was needed. I read some articles on 'can you still run with shin splints' and one of them recommended a graded reduction in mileage where you keep on cutting it back gradually until the pain subsides.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/230046-can-i-run-with-shin-splints/