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Stubborn shin pain

JessicaR Posts: 467 Joined: 2002/08/12	2003/02/06, 05:11 PM Okay, anterior shin pain - I'm not a beginner, I warm up and stretch well, I don't think it's my shoes - any advice here??? This has been a problem for months now. It gets better, then bad again. It was just about gone and then yesterday, boom - right in the middle of my workout they started throbbing again! I've tried changing my shoes, taking a couple/three weeks off high impact cardio, watching my stride length and making sure my heels come all the way down but *still* I'm dealing with this stubborn problem! I'm going to have a mold made of my foot to see if I can pinpoint the problem. In the meantime has anyone else had to deal with this? Will I always have to worry about my shins? I've had to give up running completely in the past because of this and now my primary cardio activity is Jazzercise, which I love! But it aggravates my shins! I'd like to become an instructor and I'm afraid my shins are always going to hold me back. Sorry to be a whiner but I don't want to swim or ride a bike. :( I want to run and go to Jazzercise. :( Any advice welcome!
7707mutt Posts: 7,686 Joined: 2002/06/18	2003/02/06, 05:15 PM Well since you have checked most everything else how about weak calf muscles? I have read some reports that the muscles on the front of the leg(shin area) can cause shin splits if that are is weak. So maybe trying to do so calf raises for that area(not quite sure how that works but I know that you can lift for that area) might work? -------------- IF YOU CAN STILL ITCH YOUR NOSE AFTER ARM DAY, GO DO ANOTHER SET!!!
JessicaR Posts: 467 Joined: 2002/08/12	2003/02/06, 08:11 PM I have done those off and on - actually now that you mention it I haven't done them in a while, so maybe that will help. It seems like I had less shin pain while I was doing them, but I also wasn't doing as much high impact at the time, and I was wearing different shoes. So it's hard to narrow it down. I do suspect it's either a tight or weak muscle or a foot alignment thing - if I massage the whole area - foot, ankle, and calf - and run through some lower leg stretches it relieves the pain. I just signed up for a new Freetrainers program, progressive gains, and I notice there were reverse calf raises on the first week's schedule. Hopefully that will help!
Ravenbeauty Posts: 3,755 Joined: 2002/09/24	2003/02/07, 02:36 AM another thing is once again, diet, add some more bananas to your diet, the potassium helps with those splints! Sounds funny, but it works. -------------- Bettia.... You are nothing less than Beautiful in my eyes.
JessicaR Posts: 467 Joined: 2002/08/12	2003/02/07, 08:27 AM Oh no... the dreaded bananas... I hate them! I know they're a wonderful food but I just can't stand their mushy sliminess! The potassium thing never occured to me, though - maybe I could try taking a supplement instead? Maybe if I just ate a lot of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey? ;)
Ravenbeauty Posts: 3,755 Joined: 2002/09/24	2003/02/07, 12:23 PM jessica, the supplements will work good if you can't handle the bananas. Absolutely NO BEN & JERRY'S LOL! -------------- Bettia.... You are nothing less than Beautiful in my eyes.
JessicaR Posts: 467 Joined: 2002/08/12	2003/02/07, 03:05 PM Durnit LOL It was worth a shot. :)
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2003/02/07, 06:53 PM The problem with shin splints is that they stop hurting long before they are completely healed and since you can't see them - how do you know when they are healed? That all depends on your age, your health and the amount of time you have had/not treated the injury. It might really suck, but taking more time off and just lifting and maybe cycling or water exercise, while adding in those reverse calf raises and some toe towel scrunches and other foot/ankle/shin srtengthening exercises might be the solution. Good luck!
JessicaR Posts: 467 Joined: 2002/08/12	2003/02/08, 08:37 AM Argh that's what I was afraid of. I had considered taking a few weeks low/no impact - so maybe that's what I'll be doing. Of course right now they feel fine! The weather will be warming up soon; I could get into cycling I think. Asimmer, I used to come here about a year ago and I don't remember seeing you - I would remember, too! Your transformation is amazing! Really glad to have you here and thanks for your help.
kwright Posts: 7 Joined: 2003/01/14	2003/02/17, 11:07 PM I herd that toe towel scrunches work really good...they strengthen the whole part of the shin. I have problems with my shins as well. I also herd the taking more calcium might help too.
aashik Posts: 6 Joined: 2003/04/03	2003/04/16, 02:39 PM I had the same problem in the past. Once it didn't heal, i ended up going thru bone scan and found out my mid tibia had 3 stress fratures from running on the hard surface. Take more precautions if the pain in not on front of your tibia but mainly on the side. You should be able to feel it by pressuring with your finger.
ht Posts: 20 Joined: 2003/04/05	2003/05/20, 12:21 PM Reverse calf raises have worked wonders for me. I used to get shin splits every time I would run, but I haven't gotten them since. I do them about 2 times a week, and it only took a week or so for them to get stronger.
INTRUDER Posts: 642 Joined: 2002/06/27	2003/05/21, 12:45 PM reduce your running to every-other day untill the soreness goes away, - it will, it just takes time. When ever you can, try walking on your heals, this will help the soreness go away faster. -------------- "Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
sailor1029 Posts: 76 Joined: 2003/05/12	2003/05/21, 08:19 PM Concentrate on rolling your foot while running. You'll get shin splints from running on hard surfaces, so try running on grass, or the treadmill. Both are great, and exxagerating the rolling of your foot will work out the muscle that hurts, until eventually they will go away completely. I used to get them, especially on my Basic Training when we ran on concrete every morning. At some points, I couldn't stand, but since then, I haven't had them at all. Just stick with it...If it hurts, stop, but don't give up. -Scott
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2004/03/02, 02:02 PM bump
cleo6620 Posts: 1 Joined: 2004/04/08	2004/04/08, 10:20 AM Jessica, I have had what sounds like the same symptoms as you in the past with shin pain etc...I've been to the doctor's and the physical therapist's office many times when they finally suggested that I seek a podiatrist. Having had custom orthotics made , they seem to absorb the shock placed on my shins. However, they can be costly. Also, you might want to try a sneaker that is highly padded with shock absorbtion. For when you're not working out try shoes made by Dansko or Mephesto b/c ortholtics don't fit into most shoes. Don't give up your favorite activities just because they are high impact. Good Luck!- Caity
gsdkain Posts: 53 Joined: 2004/02/23	2004/04/23, 06:59 AM ============ Quoting from 7707mutt: Well since you have checked most everything else how about weak calf muscles? I have read some reports that the muscles on the front of the leg(shin area) can cause shin splits if that are is weak. So maybe trying to do so calf raises for that area(not quite sure how that works but I know that you can lift for that area) might work? ============= Spot on Mutt, it usually occurs because the antogonist muscle is weaker, ie the front shin muscle is not up to the same endurance as the calf, I did this in class today (Human Movement), try walking on your heels for a while, in shoes though cause it can hurt your heels even on carpet. For some unknown reason I used to always walk on my heels as a young kid, I used to do it all the time and enjoyed it, and got very well developed shin muscles(Tibialis Anterior) to boot. Careful rolling your foot whilst running, you dont want any sprains.
lexballer13 Posts: 165 Joined: 2003/10/15	2004/04/26, 12:49 PM My girlfriend has the same conditions, but how do I make sure they are just shin splits and not fractures, besides going to the doctor?
Shakkai Posts: 142 Joined: 2003/12/05	2004/04/29, 10:38 AM hey lex. Thanks for bumping this up. I have just started running again and along comes the dreaded shin splints UGH. Ya'll posted some very informative info. Thanks. -------------- Life moves pretty fast... if you do not stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it. -Ferris Buller