Can you ever get over Shin Splints?

Furton · 5 Jun 2006 at 20:47

After finishing at Uni I started back at the gym again to get in shape, my routine included the treadmill, however almost straight away my shins were aching (had this 3 years before starting uni), but worse than last time. I knew I didn't have proper trainers so I just stopped using the treadmill. However recently I got some Asics trainers which were recommended to me by the Gym owner. However started on the treadmill again today using them and after 5mins my shins were aching again!

Have I been unlucky and got some crap trainers again or can you never get over shin splints? Is it worth going to a running shop to see if they recommend a different pair or should I give up using the treadmill.

I play 5 a side twice a week for an hour in astro turf trainers and have no problems there, so it is the treadmills causing me the problem? Will the same happen if I go for a jog around the block?

atpbx · 5 Jun 2006 at 20:53

Your shins will stop hurting.
But they need to rest before you start hitting them again other wise they wont stop hurting.

I used to get them at the start of every pre season training.

IceBus · 5 Jun 2006 at 21:16

RICE is the key to shinsplints

Furton · 5 Jun 2006 at 21:36

As in rice with a curry? I should be sorted then

But what's RICE?

LiamT · 5 Jun 2006 at 21:40

Rest Ice Compression Elevation

slambo69 · 5 Jun 2006 at 21:57

Someone in another thread said that if you run backwards for a little while thats a temporary fix.

IceBus · 5 Jun 2006 at 23:21

Also make sure you are fully stretching out your shins - the stretches where you lean against a wall and step backward with a straight leg and then the opposite when you step backward with a bent leg - can anyone help me out with the names of these stretches so he can Google them?

Morba · 6 Jun 2006 at 00:14

gastroc stretch. however thats for your gastrocnemius (1 of the calf muscles) rather than the shin..... the shin is a bone, there is a muscle to the side of it (i quite like mine!) if thats what you mean?

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/TibialisAnterior.html

IceBus · 6 Jun 2006 at 00:28

Morba said:
gastroc stretch. however thats for your gastrocnemius (1 of the calf muscles) rather than the shin..... the shin is a bone, there is a muscle to the side of it (i quite like mine!) if thats what you mean?

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/TibialisAnterior.html

Cool thanks

I assumed he meant muscle pain as opposed to bone pain, and those are the stretches I use for my shin muscles before running.

Malarkee · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:05

you don't really stretch your shin...

Its caused by the Calves being to tense and placing strain and causing tears on the connective tissue that binds the calf to the front of the shin

Just keep your calf loose

Mat · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:06

I suffer from medial tibial stress syndrome which is the typical form of shin-splints and is felt about a third the way up the leg just to the inside of the shin. If not "treated" properly and early enough, the problem can remain for a very long time and in fact not completely go away. I talked to plenty of people and read a lot about it as I didnt want it to ruin my training.

Rest is by far the most important part of RICE with regards to treatment and by that I mean stop doing the activity which causes the problem and pick something else like cycling or swimming for your cv work.

I got a set of trainers properly fitted as my running style caused over-pronation of the foot and also did a rountine of exercises twice a day and before training, also outlined here:

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0161.htm

The astro turf might be soft enough to take the strain off your soleus as you plant the foot.

HTH

sam83uk · 6 Jun 2006 at 19:31

i believe i have them.. always have had them.. i think they have wrecked my chances of ever getting in the armed forces

if i play football or do soe running about 3 days in a row on the 3rd day i start feeling pain in my front inner shin area between my foot and knee. it takes usually about 2 weeks to fully heal if i keep running while in pain it gets really worse and i end up limping even when i walk.

Morba · 6 Jun 2006 at 22:46

ive heard that a few sports physios say MICE rather than RICE which is different.

Movement instead of rest.

Pigeon_Killer · 6 Jun 2006 at 22:54

I think I've got shin splints. Whenever I walk uphill my shins feel like they're on fire. They're fine walking downhill and on the flat but I feel crippled walking uphill.

ErinGoBrath · 7 Jun 2006 at 11:08

A lot of the time shin splints are a result of fallen arches in your foot.

I bought some silicone in-sole which have extra arch support and it did the trick.

Hope they get better soon dude, very painful indeed

Mat · 7 Jun 2006 at 12:10

ErinGoBrath said:
A lot of the time shin splints are a result of fallen arches in your foot.

I bought some silicone in-sole which have extra arch support and it did the trick.

Hope they get better soon dude, very painful indeed

That can be the cause of over pronation (foot turning outwards) as the arch collapses allowing the foot to fall inwards putting stress on the soleus. I dont have flat feet myself but my trainers were chosen due to their higher arch support.

Dont let shin splints get too out of hand as they can, in severe cases, lead to bone fractures.

S7rider · 7 Jun 2006 at 15:08

Tibialis posterior can also cause Shin splints... often over looked