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Why do my shins hurt? (Read 1879 times)


Bugs

    Currently dealing with this two, and just wanted to recommend for icing, put a wet towel in your freezer. Then ice your legs with it after running.

    Bugs

      I've always had problems with this too. I've always defaulted to calling it 'shin splints'. Not too sure if it is though. In high school I iced them everyday after running... nothing happened. I've made sure to have a good pair of shoes... nothing happened. Now, I'm stretching a lot and doing toe raises while sitting. IT'S HELPING! I'm definately going to try the goofy walking thing too, see if it helps more. Thanks for the info! mike

      ~Mike

      obiebyke


        I'm glad we have a thread going about this, because it seems to be such a common problem. Thanks, Bugs, for your knee-strengthening tips, too. I've been doing all kinds of stretching and strengthening that you guys have posted, hoping that I WILL be ready to start running again a week from tomorrow.

        Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

          The one thing that I did that helped almost immediately was toe taps. Had shin splints in the am, starting doing the toe taps from luch until about 4pm, went running after that and had no problems at all. Now while sitting at my desk I do then when I think about it. Jeremy
          2009 Goals...:
          -run more miles than 2008

          -build base to train for 2010 Rome Marathon
            As has already been suggested, strengthening the muscles on the front of your shin (the ankle dorsiflexors) will help with shin splints and so will using shoes with lots of cushioning, but that does nothing to correct the root cause of shin splints which is poor form. A high percentage of new runners have a tendency to overstride. That means that their stride length is too long for their pace and they end up planting their foot well out in front of their body. This causes a heel strike closely followed by the front of the foot slamming down on the ground. This secondary impact literally sends shock waves up the shins with causes bruising where the muscles attach to the tibia commonly known as shin splints. A shorter stride will force the runner to land more on the midfoot and less on the heels which will allow the foot to pronate or roll in to help absorb the shock of impact. Most runners will find that a stride rate of around 180 steps per minute will generate an appropriate stride length. A book I like to recommend to help achieve this is Programmed to Run by Thomas Miller. I spent an entire summer working through the drills and exercises and it made the single biggest improvement in my running. Tom
              Same problem here with the splints. Been trying to do C25K since November, can't make it more than 1.5 miles without the pain starting. Once I walk and relax the pain goes away with little lasting pain. I have shoes fitted from a running store, been doing toe lifts, etc. I haven't really tried stretching that much yet outside of the 5 minute warm-up walk, so I'll give that a shot next. Figbash, can you expand on your stride comment? Should I be striking as close to the middle of my foot as possible when my foot comes down, or should I try to land on the ball of my foot as a way to prevent that slapping of my toe?
              I wish my lawn was emo...
                Figbash, can you expand on your stride comment? Should I be striking as close to the middle of my foot as possible when my foot comes down, or should I try to land on the ball of my foot as a way to prevent that slapping of my toe?
                Anywhere from the outside of the heel to the ball is considered a midfoot landing. Just don't land with all of your weight on the heel. Try running barefoot on a hard surface to see what good form should look and feel like. If you are heel striking you will get instant feedback telling you so. Tom
                obiebyke


                  Interesting, figbash. I was thinking about this, and I think my running stride is okay, but my C25K brisk walk isn't! I really have to stride (and slap, I think) to keep both feet down when I walk. I do it at 4.0mph, so I'll try decreasing that when I'm back running. I assume that walking wrong can cause shin splints, too? Will the wonders never cease...

                  Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

                  obiebyke


                    I just jogged across the street to avoid some traffic and my shin hurt in the same place as two weeks ago. I'm terrified that I'm not going to be able to run starting next week. I don't want to get an xray, I don't want to agitate for a bone scan, I want to run! I know I shouldn't push it, but I'm so tempted to just run, pretty easy, ice afterwards, and see if I can keep the pain low level. I mean, maybe I'm just overreacting to some pretty normal pain. How dumb am I? Help me! Help my aching nonrunning psyche!

                    Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

                      Interesting, figbash. I was thinking about this, and I think my running stride is okay, but my C25K brisk walk isn't! I really have to stride (and slap, I think) to keep both feet down when I walk. I do it at 4.0mph, so I'll try decreasing that when I'm back running. I assume that walking wrong can cause shin splints, too? Will the wonders never cease...
                      Walking is not the same as running in that heel striking is appropriate (and necessary). If you are having shin pain then the toe raises described earlier would be your best bet. Tom
                        I just jogged across the street to avoid some traffic and my shin hurt in the same place as two weeks ago. I'm terrified that I'm not going to be able to run starting next week. I don't want to get an xray, I don't want to agitate for a bone scan, I want to run! I know I shouldn't push it, but I'm so tempted to just run, pretty easy, ice afterwards, and see if I can keep the pain low level. I mean, maybe I'm just overreacting to some pretty normal pain. How dumb am I? Help me! Help my aching nonrunning psyche!
                        Obie~ I think you are making more out of this than it might really be. I have been through a pretty tough case of the splints early on in my running, and am currently going through a milder case right now, as I am increasing mileage, and did a run of 6 miles, and my shins are letting me know it. Don't panic. You have been given great advice, but what I think everyone will agree on is that the splints will go away with stonger muscles. your muscles will get stonger the more you run. Just make sure that you take Figbash's advice, and run short strides, really easy pace, and ease your way back into it. Ice after the run, take motrin, and do your toe taps. Your shins will not toughen up if you are not running, and the longer you delay getting back out there, you will begin to lose all the fitness you have worked so hard for. Fear is a pretty strong emotion, don't let it keep you from progress. Run easy, and try to enjoy it. If you are in miserable pain during the run, then go and get that X-Ray and get some peace of mind~ Good Luck and Happy Running! Smile

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                        obiebyke


                          Thanks, Sandy. That's exactly waht I needed. I really appreciate your support and rationality. Your plan is just what I'm thinking. Happy weekend.

                          Call me Ray (not Ishmael)

                          obxgretchen


                            Yeah, so I'm guilty of the post-and-bail thing here, it seems. I actually totally forgot that I had asked for help. Duh. Anyway, I figured out, kind of by trial and error, that I needed to do three things: 1. Get new shoes (done) 2. Go easy on myself when transitioning from treadmill to street - I started setting the incline higher when I run on the treadmill, and that seems to be helping 3. Stretch waaaay better than I had been. The good news is: I finished an 8K (not fast, but finished it! lol) on Saturday with NO shin pain at all. Thanks for helping even w/o details. You guys rock!
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