Forums >General Running>Left shin hurts
I've been running cross country since the beginning of summer started out with 1-2 miles a day and I'm at 4-5 a day now but recently the top of my left shin has been hurting real bad. Like any other person I iced it and it felt better but after today's run it went back to its previous state. Any suggestions?
Well, shoot, go to an orthopedist or podiatrist (that does lower legs) because it sounds like shin splints. That's a muscle inflamation about the shins. Treatment calls for reducing mileage, icing, maybe compression stockings and elevation. The doctor can take xrays and rule out a stress fracture. That would be more serious because it involves a degradation of the actual shin bone.
I had a version of shin splints in my left leg last winter. I say a version because it started when I dropped a dumbbell on my shin. Problem was that long after the cut healed the shin still hurt. I ran less but still ran and that prolonged my recovery to almost a year. Not sure if you'd want to do that. (There was just no way I wasn't going to run short of a broken bone.)
How many miles do you have on your shoes? Maybe you need new shoes.
#artbydmcbride
I don't want to make too light of your pain, but as a beginning runner (you are a beginner, right?) some of these aches and pains are from your body adapting to this running stuff. Doing an easy six mile run on the weekend, see if the pain in your shin subsides after the 4 or 5 mile mark.
Runners run
Most common causes of shin hurting are having worn shoes, improper stretching, and too much stress put on one hip or leg from running. Take the necessary precautions.
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