shin splints...

Discussion in 'Injuries and Prevention' started by joejitsu, Jan 27, 2012.

  1. joejitsu

    joejitsu Valued Member

    Anyone else get these? Never had them till recently an suddenly they're making my life hell!
    I don't get them in the gym or while training, its normally when I'm just walking to the shop which is about 20 minutes. Its bearable on the way there but by the time I'm home I can hardly walk.

    Could somebody please shed some light on how I get these or more importantly how to get rid of them? Much appreciation in advance, Joe.
     
  2. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    Rest Ice Compression Elevation

    You probably overpronate when you walk. Get some orthotics.
     
  3. joejitsu

    joejitsu Valued Member

    Sorry to sound stupid but whats overpronate?

    Once I've sat down for 5 minutes its fine, its while I'm walking its a problem. It restricts how far I can go which when I don't have a car is very frustrating
     
  4. joejitsu

    joejitsu Valued Member

    Sorry to sound stupid but whats overpronate?

    Once I've sat down for 5 minutes its fine, its while I'm walking its a problem. It restricts how far I can go which when I don't have a car is very frustrating
     
  5. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    Pronation is the roll of the foot from the outside to the inside as you place your foot. You need some pronation to protect your knee, but too much can cause shin splints.
     
  6. joejitsu

    joejitsu Valued Member

    That makes sense, I definitely roll my foot more. Though I thought I was just giving my calves some extra work! Thanks for your help, you've saved me miles of agony!
     
  7. Axelator

    Axelator Not called Alex.

    I had these for ages, I tried everything, RICE, Orthotics, new trainers, stretching, strengthening, wearing compression socks.

    In the end I just went to a running shop got my gait analyed brought the trainers they told me took out my orthotics and started running. They got a lot worse but then they started getting better.

    For me just pushing through the pain made them go away.
     
  8. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    For 9 people in 10, pushing through the pain leads to stress fractures.
     
  9. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Get to a shop which specialises, somewhere such as Sweatshop.
    They will put you in a neutral pair of trainers and have you run on a treadmill. Your running gait will be filmed and played back frame by frame.
    From this information they will put you in a pair of trainers which correct your running style. You will be re-filmed and analysed until the poor gait is corrected.
     
  10. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    What I found helped...

    Running intervals rather than running straight through (time of distance). Adding in rest periods (walking baiscally) meant my shin splints never got too bad during the run and would recover better between bouts of running.
    It's probably not as productive (cardio wise) as running the whole distance but at least it's something.
    I did myself an MP3 with rounds of running/walking/sprinting and then play that when I run. Takes the thinking out of it and means you aren't clock watching the whole time.
    But seeing as you get them walking to the shops that probably won't help. :(
     
  11. Axelator

    Axelator Not called Alex.

    Thats what I heard too which is why it took me two years to build up the nerve to just run through it. I had exhausted every other option though, so I figured I may as well try. I think you made up that stat, I've heard and know a lot of people who have had them and gotten rid of them by continuing running. I've never personally met or heard of anyone getting stress fractures though.
     
  12. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    Raises hand.

    I turned two weeks of recovery into three months by acting like a child and ignoring the advice of my instructors and my physio.

    Just because it worked for you doesn't stop it from being horrifically bad advice.
     
  13. Axelator

    Axelator Not called Alex.

    Do you still have shin splints? I had two years of agony in my shins from listening to physios who just want to take your money and GPs who dont care. Obviously if it's a possible soloution it's not bad advice is it?. I'm not sure you fear mongering with made up stats about 9 out of 10 people who push through getting stress fractures is good advice.

    Why are you so hostile? I'm not getting paid to give advice, I shared my experience thats all.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 27, 2012
  14. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

  15. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    No, because once I could walk again without the need for Ibuprofen, I did exactly what my Physio said. I rested, I built my training up very slowly, I had orthotics made, I paid attention to what my body was telling me and I kept training volume to a sensible level.

    Stress fractures are a common progression from acute shin splints that are ignored. That's not my opinion, it is the consensus within the medical community.

    I'm hostile because you are putting the health of the OP at risk by giving him potentially dangerous advice.
     
  16. Putrid

    Putrid Moved on

    Its all well and good being macho and trying to run through injuries but it rarely produces positive results.I tried to do it with acute achilles tendonitis and paid the price.A leg in plaster for six weeks and no running for nearly a year.If it hurts stop what you are doing and get to the source of the problem as its not going to go away.

    If you want to understand these type of injuries purchase a copy of the Lore of Running by Dr Tim Noakes.I have had shin splints in the past when I used to race walk.They are usually caused by a sudden increase in training mileage.One of the best forms of treatment is to hose the legs down for twenty minutes after training.This treatment is given to race horses as they often suffer from shin splints.I found it to be more effective than physiotherapy.

    Another injury which has similar the symptoms to shin splints is compartment syndrome.This is a more serious condition that often requires surgery.To get a correct diagnosis you need to go to an expert in sports medicine.
     
  17. Axelator

    Axelator Not called Alex.

    He asked for soloutions I gave him one that worked for me and a few other people I've trained with.
     
  18. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    That could leave him on crutches. I'm sure if you looked hard enough, you could find someone who claims that gargling with toilet cleaner cured their cold. I wouldn't leave that claim uncontested either.
     
  19. righty

    righty Valued Member

    Your doctor or other medical professional will give you advice on how to treat these. So you should not be asking here as there would be no need.

    Hang on, you DID see one to get a proper diagnosis right?
     
  20. That's because it is about what this advice is really worth. :)
    Thanks for sharing your experience though... I do not think we could make it a general case on how to get it over with shin splints... :cool:


    Osu!
     

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