Shin Splints Again! Any Running Gurus Out There?

Dammit! I do a run/walk interval on the track yesterday and wake up with shin splints today. (Okay, so maybe I overdid it a bit).

I used to run all the time when I was younger. That is up until a point where I developed a bad case of shin splints and didn't lay off. I thought I could run through it as I had before but they continually grew worse until I could barely walk without pain. Fast forward to now and it's like a chronic condition where as soon as I start jogging I feel pain in the lower legs. Adjusting my foot strike seems to help a bit and doing an interval didn't seem to bother me too much yesterday. (A little pain at first but that went away as I got warmed up).

If there are any running gurus out there I would like to ask a few questions. Is there any way to get back to my pre-injured self? I know a few decades later this is probably not a possibility. Also, is there anything I can do to prevent and/or minimize them? And is there anything other than rest I can do to treat them?

I really need to pick up some form of cardio.

Thoughts, ATS?

a reply to: RomaSempre

Could try putting a hard rubber ball (i use my dog's ball) between your back and the wall and then running it up and down your spine...

Dont know if it will help, but doing that myself entirely cured the pain I had in my Achilles tendons whenever I ran..

I suffered through shins splints for 10+years. Every time I went to the doctor for it I’d get a prescription for Motrin and a consult to physical therapy. (Military Dr’s). I did stretching, muscle training, interval training, and some crappy orthotics that I could have gotten at the store.

I got sick of it, and requested a second opinion and a consult to an off base podiatrist. He noted that I have relatively flat feet, which I knew. The first thing he did was tell me to stand on my bare feet. I kept my feet planted and turned my upper body to the left and to the right. That motion, he said, put my feet in proper alignment. And in order to alleviate it, he wanted to make me custom inserts.

I came back in a couple weeks later and he casted both my feet. A few weeks after that, I received my hard leather inserts. They give my feet the natural arch, take all the stress off my shins, knees and back (other areas that were hurting from it) and I can run pain free. I can walk all day pain free, climb stair pain free, and I love it!

It pissed me off that he spent literally less than 5 minutes finding something all the other doctors and physical therapists couldn’t see or figure out for 10 years! I wear them all day every day (can’t wear flip flops though).

And it’s to the point where my feet aren’t as flat anymore. I’ve developed a little bit of a permanent arch because of it.

Over the years I had shin splints quite a few times. I used to get them from carrying shingles up the ladders or from walking up the ladder with a truss to put on the wall. They hurt like hell, I never found any way to stop them, if I would avoided the work it would have got rid of the problem.

After having them many times, it almost feels like they left some permanent changes in my bone or something. I have the feeling in my legs all the time like three days after you had the shin splints, a dull feeling that usually goes away. I jumped off of something years ago and that is where the one leg started the permanent issue in that area.

The shoes man... the shoes are the key for shin splits. I ran 8 miles in converse once. I learned my lesson

a reply to: RomaSempre

There could be myriad causes of it--sometimes even switching surfaces (like road to trail, or treadmill to road/trail) can cause it to happen.

Calves being too tight can also be an underlying cause, so focusing on increasing that flexibility a bit may help.

IMO, though, one of the biggest causes is incorrect shoe selection. If you have not done so, I would suggest having your running gait assessed by a good, reputable running store and understanding if you need a support, neutral, or cushion running shoe. And even then, different brands can cause be better than others when you are prone to such injuries.

The other biggest cause would be running form--most people don't run properly, either because they've been told wrong or just haven't paid attention. Not all runners' body mechanics are the same, and some are natural heal strikers, mid-foot runners, or fore-foot runners, as well as over-pronators and under-pronators. It may be in your best interest to find a decent running coach, probably through said reputable running store, to help you figure out what is best for you.

And then, of course, there is rest--rest is the best thing when you have chronic shin splints. If you don't rest, they will never properly heal and can actually become much worse.

Over the past 10 years or so since I've been running relatively consistently, I've switched running form, shoe-support types, and shoe brands many times. I've tried everything from high heel-to-toe drops all the way down to running for a while on trails in Vibram Five Finger shoes (which didn't work well for me). Right now, I run in Brooks Ghosts--they have worked well for me for quite a while.

Unfortunately, it's all game of trial and error until you find what works for you, but a good running coach or running store can take a lot of the initial guess-work out of the equation and get you on the right track.

Foam rollers can work well for this type of injury, too, and you would do well to roll your entire legs, from hips on down, to promote the best flexibility possible--I'm willing to bet that you have tight calves, and if your calves are tight, you're probably tight all over.

I wish you the best of luck in figuring it out. If all else fails, go to a podiatrist, like Assassin82 says.

a reply to: RomaSempre

I used to run every day and about 7 years ago I had such bad shin splints that I hobbled around everywhere I went. I refused to take a break thinking I could push myself through it, and once I was out running along a country road and I kid you not, I was hobbling along so bad there were buzzards circling over me the whole way! No joke.

I went to the doctor because I thought it must be bone cancer or something and he sent me for x-rays, ultrasound, and finally an MRI and it didn't show anything. So the doc told me I had fluid edema... I looked that up and was like, wtf??? I don't have that crap. After a bunch of google searches I realized it was shin splints. That hadn't occurred to me because of where on the shin it was. It was low on the inside and I thought they always happened in the front. I rested for like 2 weeks and was good as new.

Sorry, but rest is the only thing that'll fix shin splints.

a reply to: RomaSempre

For me, the solution was to make sure I come down inside of my fore-foot, roll towards the back and lift from the rear left, roll back and push from the center of my fore-foot.

If that makes sense...

A coach told me that and it worked for me.

a reply to: RomaSempre

Ummm...Ouch...shin splints...I ran my two mile qualifying run in basic training with shin splints...my best bud ran it along side me with a shattered ankle...we both qualified...but needless to say didn't max the run...though we maxed the pushups and situps...

Wrapping and time is what worked for me...I never had them after that...talk about pain filled fun...







YouSir

a reply to: wtbengineer

Rest is not the only thing that will fix shin splints. Shin splints can be caused by several different things, and rest may alleviate one or two of the causes.

Shoes, running style, stress reduction, proper foot alignment, stretching, interval training and muscle training are all different ways you can alleviate shin splints. There’s even a far more serious and complex way of curing it that’s effective for certain cases where they essentially slice open the tissue of your legs like a fasciotomy to attempt to cure it.

Many, many different ways to fix it than just rest.

a reply to: Assassin82

Yeah, I heard all that stuff when I was going through it. We will just have to disagree. I know in my case there was nothing else that would have worked.

a reply to: RomaSempre

Trigger point therapy to the lower leg muscles specifically the soleus.

I am tagging on here as I also have them after only running for 4 years I was running fast now I am slow again cause of pain. I have tried taking time off etc and then I gain a bunch of weight. I am seeing my Dr. so I will ask him for a referral to a podiatrist as suggested. Because I have tried shoes, therapy (which massage helps but its expensive) and the inserts they gave me.

Anyway yeah they suck for sure I hope you can figure them out. I do know it is also from an imbalance in your muscles too look up shin splint muscle exercises.

Good luck I will try to report back her as to seeing a podiatrist.

Yeah suffered with shin splints all my life from running to much, flat feet I think. Inserts have relieved the pain to a degree
I have searched for something to alike irate the problem but nothing
I will follow this thread

a reply to: RomaSempre

bind the shins. Semi elastic ACE bandage, looped twice with an overlapping X over the calf, with the 4 crossing strands evenly spread over shin.

Maybe throw the excess straight around the calf under the knee but on the calf and shin only. Not too high or too close to the knee.

Its from overuse so take a LONG break. Do leg exercises and stretching while laying down. No weight on the legs.

Spartan Racer, 10k-er and almost daily runner here.

Shin splints are generally caused by heel strike runners. I learned early on to have mid-foot strike and haven't had shin splints ever. Most running magazines cover this at least twice a year in different ways.

You should have a mid-foot or back of forefoot strike which hits the ground just in front of or under your hips. Heel strike will cause most injuries given enough time. UK Men's Running had a recent article covering this with a chart showing mid-strike/forefoot strikers have far less injuries than other heel strikers. My sister had the same issue and adjusted her foot strike and it stopped. She just qualified for Boston.

Shoes - you probably need a neutral shoe (if you don't have pronation) with high cushion. Cushioned running socks will also help as well as shock cushion insoles sold at most athletic stores like Decathlon, Dick's, REI etc. I strongly recommend not running in Nike, Adidas, Converse, Pony or Reebok. Get a good running shoe from one of the specialty brands like Saucony, Brooks, Asics, inov-8 etc. If you trail run inov-8 X-Talon's are a must, I do Spartan Races and trail run in them. For daily runs I switch between Saucony Everun and Brooks Ghost 10.

Have you ever been to a professional running shoe shop and had the treadmill test with the video and lasers? Roadrunner Shoes in the USA give it for free and then help get you into great shoes, I swear by them. I used their custom insoles (expensive $75) when I had a left foot imbalance and it corrected in about 6 months.

Also a few other pointers just coz -

You should only log about 300km to 400km on a pair of shoes, then retire them. I use them as my daily sneakers when I retire them.

Head should always be on top of shoulders, don't look down or hunch. Forward head extension means more downward force which compresses your spine and lungs.

Shoulders back and spine as straight as possible to allow correct lung expansion.

160-180 strides per minute is an ideal pace for most people depending on your leg length. I'm 6ft tall and do about 165 strides a minute depending on surface and incline/decline.

a reply to: SpartanStoic

Nice but
I use to run 30/40k a day, now I get shin splints walking.
If I sit and rest for 5 or so minutes they go away and I can walk again pain free
I just don't get it

Thanks all, there's some good info here. I couple of other tidbits I could add:

I have a pair of New Balance running shoes. They're not new but in fairly good shape.

Also, I tend to supinate so maybe intentionally trying to pronate while running may force me into some middle ground there.

Heel striking definitely causes shin splints immediately. I try to use a mid-foot strike when I can. Sometimes I forget about it and muscle memory kicks in...and so do the shin splints. Also, oddly enough I don't feel them as much when I sprint. This is what i was trying to accomplish over the weekend. The problem is as I got tired the sprints became a jog and well, here I am.

I think Zardust may be spot on with trigger point therapy of the lower legs. My calf, achilles and soleus are completely jacked up tight. In fact, part of my interval was to walk backwards so I can get a stretch there.

I'll continue to keep an eye here. Hopefully this info will be of use to a lot of people.