Ozzy - ((hugs)) on the continued GBS stress - I hope you're able to come to a conclusion that both you and DH are satisfied with. Well, actually I hope your next test is negative, and it becomes a moot point.
Just thought of a question, and wondered if any of you have asked your doctors or midwives this one yet - are there any anti-inflammatories that are safe to take during pregnancy? All the OTC types are contraindicated so far as I can read. I'm having some shin splint soreness, and would love to take some ibuprofen to help with the inflammation, but it's a class C drug, and the more full-term you are, the worse it can be for the baby. I don't want to quit running. It's not too bad yet, so I'm just hoping if I stretch and strengthen, elevate and ice it after running, compress it while running, and limit running to 3x per week that it'll improve.
Laura - Tylenol, basically. I know, it does nothing. Honestly I've had more med-free relief from the chiro with shin splint soreness. Do you see a chiro?
Yeah, tylenol, not being anti-inflammatory, does nothing for inflamed muscles. I do have a favorite chiropractor, but usually only see him when I'm dying, because I have to pay 100% out of pocket. I'll make an appointment though. I iced it tonight, did some stretches and strengthening, and wrapped it. I've been feeling it for a few weeks now, but it became more pronounced the last two runs, because I went indoors on the cement indoor running track. Maybe I ought to use the treadmill on my next indoor run, since it's easier on the joints and legs. I don't run again until Friday, so I have a little time for it to heal. I'll try and get outside and run on some gravel or other soft surface. I hope it heals without having to completely stop. I hate having to stop! I've noticed, too, with pregnancy, that any time I take off, I'm growing so fast that the workload is a lot heavier for me when I get back to it.
way back when i last had shin splints (I'm sorry, how does one run again?? Not long i hope til i find out) that I took up doing a lot of work in the pool with a kickboard, just doing freestyle kick to flex out the "foreleg". Hurt a bit to start but was a way of stretching out those front tendons/muscles etc. Other things I used to do when playing squash and suffering was massage the inside and outside of the lower leg, each for 15mins or so - to the point of pain, my version of deep tissue massage, lots of finger/thumb pressing on the main spots...it seemed to "break up" some of the knots or muscle and 48hrs later would feel much better (I'll admit next day would hurt though but short term pain in the long run!).
I have a book by Lorna Vanderhaeghe on the topic of inflammation; she says there is a natural anti-inflammatory product called Celadrin, a blend of special fatty acids which should be available in capsules, soft gels or creams. Also Boswellia extract has anti-inflammatory factors as does Devils Claw...not sure of the immediacy of anti-inflammatory effect though...