Aaarrrggghhh shin splints! Anyone sort them out for good?

9 watchers

brandstifterin May 2013 12:22am, 10 May 2013 70 posts	0 brandstifterin Witch doctor might work... A gait analysis wouldn't hurt to see how you're running and what's happening, a decent shop will do it for free and will use a video camera so you can see exactly what goes on rather than rely on someone saying X,Y,Z. I bought a foam roller and rolled the hell out of my anterior tibalis and although it made me cry, combined with lots of ice and rest I got there. At the time I had a job which meant i was on my feet all day and even that was enough to make it hurt, let alone running. I threw my old shoes out, got a new pair with as much cushioning as it was possible to get and slowly worked my way back up towards a regular mileage again. Now things are looking ok (famous last words....)
brandstifterin May 2013 12:27am, 10 May 2013 71 posts	0 brandstifterin Hey Pestomum, congrats on the race btw. Trail shoes don't have anywhere near the same level of cushioning or shock absorption as a regular pair of road running shoes do so if tha's what you're used to, that'll have been a bit of a shock to the system. Do you have another race to get yourself ready for? Or can you afford to take a bit of time/intensity off training? Does the pain/ache affect your walking at the mo or is that just something you're aware of? If the pain is subsiding, hopefully it means you're lucky and it's just a warning. I'm not qualified to give any kind of advice but a physio or someone would be a good way to go.
NellyMarcos May 2013 8:59am, 10 May 2013 633 posts	0 NellyMarcos I had shin splints to the point where I was about to give up running all together, I changed my form from heel striking to midfoot with the help of a coach and no more shin splints, not a quick fix, it took me a year to swap and feel comfy but I did it.
paul the builder May 2013 1:37pm, 10 May 2013 3,561 posts	0 paul the builder What V'rap said on p1. Loads of runners get shin splints to some degree as they are fairly new to running. I did in my first year (? I think it was probably a year before it went entirely?). Take the symptoms as a sign of pushing too hard too quickly, and ease off a little. Don't stop all together, because it's building up your running muscles, joints, tissues etc that is going to get you past this in the long term. Go up to the line, but not past it. I would also have a gait analysis done once too, just to check that you know roughly what type of shoe to be wearing. And then after that don't be afraid to be promiscuous with shoe brands and models (within the same type - e.g. cushioned, or structured etc.). You'll know when one shoe feels better than another.
Dooogs May 2013 1:43pm, 10 May 2013 781 posts	0 Dooogs Thanks, team- that's good advice. Probably high time to get some new shoes anyway so I'll get some gait analysis done there. Any recommendations for running shop chains (or individual shops in the north?) that do quality gait analysis?
Suzi Q May 2013 3:32pm, 12 May 2013 10 posts	0 Suzi Q I used to get shin splints alot when I was running regularly. Someone said to me, or I read it on the forum, to lace your shoes up back to fount, so that the knot is nearer the toe rather than on the ankle area at the top of the shoe. Looks silly, but worked for me! I was doing the shoes up too tight I think, and I had a big knot (cause I did the bow double to stop it coming undone) right where it was causing problems for me.
Iris May 2013 9:09am, 15 May 2013 4,856 posts	0 Iris I've had them on and off. Bootcamp/core training helped as did doing all my long runs offroad. I started getting some shin niggles during my marathon training due to all the road running. Bit of a twinge on marathon morning but then totally gone, even straight after the marathon. So the cure is to run a marathon.
Bex66 Aug 2014 7:21pm, 3 Aug 2014 198 posts	0 Bex66 Update on this. Back running again after a year off due to laziness. No shin splints this time round! Am mid- foot striking now and run in my trail shoes even on the road simply because I love the shoes! Every time previously I have started back with running - and that's about 5 times in the ast 7 years - I have had shin splints. Now, a bit of ITB problem but no shin splints. Only running 5 k distances at the moment, but will update as I move up to 10 k!
Kaz2 Oct 2014 6:52pm, 16 Oct 2014 First-time poster!!	0 Kaz2 Had shin splints when I started running this July, put this down to being overweight and not having run for almost 30 years. Shortened length of step and slowed the pace, RICE and ibuprofen. took 7/8 weeks before got better, slowly picked up pace and lengthened step. 5K distance at moment slowly increasing over the winter months.
somersetslob Nov 2014 2:41pm, 8 Nov 2014 20 posts	0 somersetslob Just wanted to add that I also posted about shin splints at the start of this year as a new runner. As they were coming back every time I tried to train again, I finally took advice (after not running at all over the summer as worried what might happen) and went to see a sports physio. The physio found I had very tight calves and hence very little flexibility in my foot, which was causing the majority of the problem. After a series of very intense sports massages and daily targeted stretches, followed by a physio led training schedule, it's (so far so good) resolved the problem entirely and my legs are 'normal'. I wish I'd gone to see the physio sooner! Yes, it's cost money to resolve, but it was an issue I'd never have been able to deal with by myself.