Att. Old Farts:
How bout those damn shin splints? I run for more than 2 weeks solid, these sons' a Bitches leave me moaning like a little girl & then decommision me from runnin' for a week to come???!!!! WTF, Over?
need some tips
Keith

Stretch out using a towel. Place the ball of your foot in the center of the towel. Grab each end of the towel and take out the slack. Extend you leg then point your toe forward using the towel as resistance.

Shinsplints are often caused by overuse. Running harder than normal, or running longer than your muscle support can tolerate can lead to them. Also, if you tend to over-pronate (ankle rolls in), you are more likely to get them.

HK is right on with a simple method to help strengthen the sheath that covers the shins. The strain on this sheath is what causes the pain. Building it up will help reduce the probability of straining it in the future. Three sets of ten reps, every other day.

Also try resting them (don't run when the problem is mild, it just makes it worse), icing them (15 minutes at a time) with crushed ice twice daily, and taking recommended doses of a pain reliever (ibuprofen also reduces inflammation).

If you can, test your running shoes for sufficient heel cushion and arch support. Poor heel cushion adds to the impact stress on the shin, and poor arch support risks over-pronation, straining the shin. Most running shoes lose their cushion and support in as little as 250 miles of USE, not just in running. If you use the shoes to run in, try not to wear them for walking around.

Quote:

I run for more than 2 weeks solid,

You need to alternate with easy days and hard days, you also need to incorporate rest days.

thanks guys. Wilco.
Keith

All of the above is sound advice. One of the tricks my athletic trainers used to use was to take small paper cups, freeze some water in them, then use them to massage the inflamed area in a circular motion. You just tear away a strip of the paper as the ice melts away. No more than 20 minutes of continuous icing after exercise. But yeah, the old standbys are the key, rest...ice...compression...elevation

Interesting how in this line of work we all know something of the pain of shin splints. All the above are good methods, from what I have experienced and been told by the doctors and physical ther. is that the shoes and whatever you are running on. If you are getting ready for a test of some sort you can increase your time quit a bit by running on grass or on the shoulder of the road or sand which will slow your time however you will have much less strain on your legs. Running for a new distance ( longer than usual, or sometimes on a uneven grade ) can also play heck on your muscles. I will admit I am one cheap son of a b... but, I always buy shoes just for running and only running. After they start to get old then graduate to farting around the house shoes and the other ones get thrown out. Definately take a day off or so to heal, there are times now that I feel great when I get off work and I run, then there are days when I cannot run two days in a row because my legs are tired. This is usually attributed to less rest, or not eating proper foods, lack of stretching and various other reasons. Either way, you have to have a rest day or so in there to give your body and legs a chance to spring back from the use.

Preface: I’m getting ready for the most important PT test of my life. I am not a “natural” runner. Hate it. BUT, must do it. For the last two months, EVERY DAY, I’ve battled terrible, run stopping shin splints. I believe, now, I’ve discovered, at least for me, why they happen, and how to cure them. (By the way, there have been two Docs, one an orthopedic surgeon, the other a general medicine guy and a rehab specialist involved in this effort.) BUT, in the end, it was discoveries that I have made that made the difference. As of today, they have become a controlled item and I would share this with you. Look for these things in your feet and legs:

1. With your running shoes on, watch your feet, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, your ankles as you walk.

Do your ankles roll inward? If so, you have to stop that roll. Pack the ENTIRE transverse arch of the affected foot with wedges of dense foam cut to shape. My “splints” were starting there and crawling up my shin to just below the knee on the outer side of the shin. When the foot rolled inward during the step, it was pulling the outer sheath of the tibia causing the pain. (Pain, best described as an ice pick stuck in the shin!!!) I’ve even installed foam along the inside on the shoe next to ankle to further control the roll. EVEN A LITTLE ROLL over a long run must be stopped.

2. Watch how your toes, especially the ball of the foot when it hits the ground. Mine hit and because they were sort of diving toward the ground, they were part of the transverse arch problem. Eliminate that by building the ball of the foot up. The whole front of the foot needs to hit evenly without the ball rolling downward. I’ve done it with thin strips of self adhesive thin dense foam layered underneath the ball and front side of the foot . Get it at art supply houses or sewing shops. It took some time get it right but it has helped tons. Use double sticky tape to do your experimenting before you finally glue them in place. My Nikes have removeable inserts and I build things up on the underside of the insert.



In the end, look at your feet mechanically. Eliminate any roll of the foot caused by the transverse arch. Watch your ankle joint!!! That’s where the pain for me was beginning. IT MUST REMAIN STRAIGHT DURING THE STEP. Once I eliminated that, the shin splints were manageable. I can’t say they’ve gone completely away. But now, they are, and I hope they stay this way, ONLY a nuisance.

3. A Doc shared this with me too: 2 extra strength Tylenol and 4 200 mg. Ibuprofen help if you pre-medicate before you run if you need it and can tolerate it. NOT recommended for drinkers. Alcohol and Tylenol DO NOT mix. Bye-bye liver.

Hope this helps. By the way, at 61, I am an old fart.

MM EMT-I, Tactical Medic