Shin splints and flight socks.........

Having suffered with shin splints for the last 4 months despite periods of rest, sports physio, gait analysis, decreased mileage etc I am now trying my own and seems to be successful cure, flight socks.

Now I know this seems mad but I am not completly clutching at straws here. I am a practice nurse and regularly prescribe compression stockings to people for all kinds of veins, aches, swelling etc. Having read lots of articles on compression for shin splints I worked out the mg of mecury conversion in terms of compression that I required and it worked out as the equivelent of 2 flight socks worn on the same leg.

Result at end of week 1 - pain free running and half the price of sports compression socks - bargin.

Comments

  • gotcha!  i will certainly try! thank you so much! and i too am definitely more snail than hare - i actually came last in a race i did in december but thoroughly enjoyed it image
  • Do you think this remedy would help with sore achilles & lower calves?

  • Silly question but when do you wear the socks - during or after running?
  • Not sure about the achilles but in theory it should work. You wear the socks during running and only 1 sock afterwards if your a little sore during the day but always removing at night.

    Yesterday entered a fun run- havn't been able to run more than 3 miles a go in the last 4 months due to pain, yesterday, I wore the socks, thinking it was 3 miles, turned out to be 8 miles !! Today however I am pain free. Two weeks ago I attempted 3.5 miles without the socks and had to stop for 48 hours afterwards due to the pain, the same the week before. Wore the socks and managed 8 miles without a problem.

  • do you mind my asking where you bought the flight socks from? image
  • I brought mine from amazon, about five pounds for the pair. Good luck, let me know how you get on with them.
  • i got the real deal in the sale £18 from wiggle - i will certainly let you know how i get on! what races are you doing this year?

  • I am doing a HM in march in the new forest and also have reading booked. Nothing else as yet as up until 2 weeks ago I couldn't go further than 3 miles. Lets hope the good work continues.

    How about you?

  • i did the new forest half last september.  i'm doing the coastal half in feb, fleet half in march, surrey spitfire in march then london marathon
  • Hi all, I get a burning pain outer left shin at approx 3/4 of a mile and it usually goes about 1.5 -2 miles when it seems like the blood disperses. I don't have any pain after the run but it's agony for that mile or so. Don't get it all the time but can't work out why sometimes I do. So is it shin splints or something else? I'd be grateful for any advice as I've tried loosening laces, new trainers, different terrain, shorter strides etc all help but it still occurs!
  • WantefcWantefc ✭✭✭

    More snail than hare!! can you elaborate on your shin splints symptons..i.e Anterior or posterior

    Im only asking as im dogged with posterior shin splints to the point where ive spent a fortune on 3 different podiatrists and custom orthotics.

    I realise its still a wait and see excersise with yours so i will watch with interest in posts

  • Nat72- shin splints can be more painful in the first couple of miles but I normally suffer more the following day, the pain has never completly gone mid run not to return.

    Wantefc- I have suffered more posterior pain but the sports physio said that they can be anterior also. Apparently, according to him, posterior shin splints are the fastest to recover, (ummmm 4 months later). How long have you had your shin splints for?

    I did notice some mild niggles since my 'fun run' on sunday so have used the spin bike for the last 4 days and will do first run back tomorrow. Definatly could have run if I had wanted but guess I am still a little scared about aggrevating old problems.

    Denny- I did the new forest half in sept too, I was prob way behind you thou at 2.10. I was hoping to do the costal half next month but just not sure my running fitness will be adequate by then. It is definatly a lie that cross training is a good substitute whilst injured!! Have you got your socks yet?

  • you were way in front of me - i came in at 2:40 haha which makes you more hare than snail haha!  i cheated and got the real deal as they were on offer at the running shop 2nxu i think they were called - put them on after a hilly climb on wednesday round broadmoor hospital and actually slept in them image feeling much better!  i rested yesterday and probably won't run now til sunday - give the coastal half a go - at least you know you'll finish before me image
  • Be careful about sleeping in them, compression when your not on the move can increase your DVT risk. Any niggles today?
  • ps- am still speculating on the coastal half- will see what milage I manage by the end of Jan- it took me 1 hour ten just to do the eight miles on sunday so definatly at a snails pace at the mo.image

  • BS - i run at 5 miles an hour image you are such a hare image
  • Well just been out for a 3 mile lunch time run and not a niggle at all. Even did a few hills. A huge difference to pre compression.  The last 4 months have been agony, can't believe that this is coincidence.

    Denny- I do resemble a beetroot at the end of my runs thou !!!

  • Hope you dont mind me butting in....

    I'm down for London in April and only started training in November, however since Christmas I've started upping the miles and speed.

    Last saturday after a 8 mile run, I noticed a little pain, not on my leg shin, but slightly to the right where the bone is.... I googled and came up posterier shin splints... Is this what you have?

    I've reduced my mileage this week, ran 4 monday, a 2.5 interval wed and only managed to do 2 miles today before the pain kicked in.... Its only have way up my leg....

    So, is this posterier shin splints and if so, will compression socks help? (today I ran in Under Armour compression leggings and they've obviously not helped)

    TIA 

  • Hi Slow sam- yes sounds like shin splints- this is your posterior tibial tendon. I am not an expert in the field just a runner trying new things. Compression seems to be helping for me at the moment and my problem is similar. I would ease of the running and cross train for a week if you can to give the inflammation time to settle before it really starts to hurt- wish I had done this 4 months ago and then I wouldn't still be in this mess, I carried on running until it hurt so much I could hardly walk.

    A friend brought me some running compression socks from Lidl yesterday so I am going to try them on sunday and see how they compare to the flight socks I have been using.

    Hope you feel better soon but my main advice to you at the moment would be to rest and ice. (sorry)

  • Thanks for that - its really painful today, so just icing but mum in law getting me some flight socks...

    lidl have compression socks in? will nip down this afternoon and get some... They're running kit is usually quite good....

  • ok, couldn't resist, ran today in the lidl socks, very comfortable, perhaps a little more comfortable to run in but did leave a little discomfort afterwards in comparison to the flight socks, that may be beacause the compression was a little less.
  • p.s. lidl have loads of running and fitness kit in this week.
  • Massive massive thanks from me!!! Got the flight socks (not very sexy are they?image) wore them round the house yesterday afternoon, put them on today and went out to see how far I could manage....

    Did 8.5 miles!! No pain from my shins at all, been showered and have a pair on now and my legs feel great!!!

    I can't believe it, thanks again.

    I went down to Lidls and they have some bits in, but didn't see any compression socks! 

  • Slow Sam I am so glad they worked for you tooimage  I ran a route today that I havn't managed in 3 months and felt great afterwards, no discomfort at all. Its flight socks all the way for me now ( I hide mine under running tights)
  • Just though I would update you, have run 15 miles so far this week and remain pain free- yahooimage
  • i've done 10.5 of which most was steep hills round broadmoor and no pain! loving the sexy socks image
  • Fantastic, do you think we may have sstumbled upon a solution here then?
  • well definitely that compression keeps it at bay! not the best look but hey - at least we're off our butts and running image
  • How much are these compression socks?

    I must check lidel on monday

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