What's up with my leg? (Read 798 times)

I can relate! I'm not a beginner beginner, but still a beginner in the world of running. I get shin splints, too. On www.runnersworld.com under "Injury" there is some information on shin splints. Basically, they are a muscular thing so the more warmed up you can be, the usually get better into the run and then fade because the muscle is all warmed up. After you cool down, though, they hurt again. Running through the pain will probably lead to this phase where it doesn't hurt, but be carefu because too much running can transfer the shock to the bone and cause a stress fracture. A lot of runners get them, especially when not used to running the mileage, and it seems like after a while they don't happen because you're body is used to the pounding. My guess is every time you walk, you're body cools down so you never get past the pain...but that doesn't mean you should just keep running despite the pain just to see if it gets better. My doctor gave me a serious of stretches for the calf, like lunging against a walkk with a straight back leg and bent forward leg, and then bending the back leg for another calf stretch. Also, strengthening exercises like "thumpers," where you sit down and tap your toes up and down, or calf raises (if these are easy you can do one leg at a time) might help. Basically Ibuprofen, ice, massage and stretching (which sounds like you've been doing) is what heals them. Cross training on an elliptical usually doesn't hurt for me, so you might want to try that. Last thoughts: some people get shin splints not only because of "too much too soon," but because of the way they are built. A lot of specialty shoe stores can fit you for the correct running show if you haven't done this already. You might need stability if you overpronate. As far as it lasting, usually cross training/reducing mileage a couple of weeks will do the trick but gradually increase after that so they don't return again. Wow, sorry about all the info but I hope this all helps, and check out the website it's great. Let me know how everything goes and I wish you the best. Welcome to RA

My husband has been battling shin splints for the past 6 months or so. His were caused by the wrong shoes. He bought a new pair of shoes. Loved the shoes but the shin splints started shortly after he started running in them. He's take some time off, start running again and the pain would come back. Tried the exercises and the helped a bit but the pain was still there. We visited a good running specialty store while out of town and they determined that he was a mild pronater but the shoes he'd been running in were for a serious over-pronater. Changed shoes and the pain went away. We talked to another guy who bought his running shoes from the same place we originally bought his. They told him the same thing -- that he had a severe pronation problem, but he didn't really. He tried to run through the pain and ended up with a spiral fracture that his sports medicine doctor's felt could be related to the shoes. Dh also found that his shin splints were related to arch support. Adding inserts to his shoes also helped. Lond winded way of saying make sure you have the right shoes. Teresa