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Thread: Shin splint prevention

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    God/dess colleen's Avatar
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    Default Shin splint prevention

    I feel some shin splints coming on. At least I think that is what it is. It swhat I call that achy, painful feeling on my shins I get after running. Only I have NOT been running, jsut walking, and wearing very good shoes when I work out.

    Any body have any ideas how to prevent this? I don't want to miss another training season jsut b/c my body will not cooperate.

    Thanks.


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    Veteran Member babykay26's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Back when i played lacrosse in highschool, we used to always run laps inside the school. Running inside on a harder surface gives you shin splints. Ive never herd of getting shin splints while walking though, maybe it is from the same thing...walking on a harder surface. Try walking on something softer and see if there is a change. Good luck!

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    Veteran Member ChloeTheRed's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    The major problem of shin splints is that once you've had them, it takes six months or more to heal; for some people that means that they never really heal all the way (I'm an idiot and will start running again or stop wearing my nice cushy shoes before they're actually all-the-way-healed because they feel better). One exercise that you can do to speed recovery is when you're sitting, lift up your toes while keeping your heels on the ground; that's what our coach had us do in track when we started to get shin splints.

    Also, replace the insoles in your tennis shoes regularly; they get flat a lot quicker than you might think. And don't walk around barefoot, even at home. Wear shoes with good support and cushioning all the time.

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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    I have shin splint issues. What my bf's hockey coach told him was to sit on his freezer and lift paint cans with his toes. I tried it, and it works. And yes, once you've got them, you'll feel em while walking. Try cross training with some biking and swimming. Shin splints come from bad cushioning, bad conformation, and uneven muscle usage. You can do something about the cushioning (see chloe's post), and you can work to train the underside muscles with some biking. Good luck!

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    God/dess colleen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Thanks, guys! I will definitely try these.


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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    are you still stripping? I got them back when I was working and lowering my heel height helped tremendously.


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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Try icing them down afterwards.

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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    I get them sometimes from sprinting. My workout buddy taught me an exercise to prevent them and its definitely helped. 3x a week I get a little 5 or 10 pound plate (whatever is handy) and just kinda rest it on the toe of my sneaker and lift the plate up as far as I can by raising the toe of my sneaker. I do like 20 or so of those on each foot and call it a day.

    The other thing that helps me is skipping rope on the days I don't run.

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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Make sure you stretch your calves out REALLY well. This can help....

    Get some styrofoam cups and fill them with water and freeze them. Then when the pain gets really bad and you want to ice the shins down, you just peel off the styrofoam and the remaining ice is in a really nice shape to hold in your hand to run up and down the shins. I have been suffering from these for ages.. I hate them.
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    Featured Member tampadancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Definitely ice them (PK's suggestion is a great way), and strengthen and stretch them. It does take a while to heal, but I've never had them last six months- a month at the most. Engage is cross training that does not cause the shin to hurt (swimming, eliptical machine) and take a few days to a week off from walking/running all together. If the pain has subsided in day to day activities, SLOWLY encorporate the walking routine back in. Left untreated, shin splints will continue to grow more painful, so don't try to "work through the pain" (I can't tell you how long that was my mantra with training - OR how many injuries I incured because of it!)

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    Veteran Member kittykat1971's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Chloe and Johnny have the right idea. I used to get shin splints quite frequently and doing these types of exercises definitely helped.

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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Quote Originally Posted by tampadancer
    Definitely ice them (PK's suggestion is a great way), and strengthen and stretch them. It does take a while to heal, but I've never had them last six months- a month at the most. Engage is cross training that does not cause the shin to hurt (swimming, eliptical machine) and take a few days to a week off from walking/running all together. If the pain has subsided in day to day activities, SLOWLY encorporate the walking routine back in. Left untreated, shin splints will continue to grow more painful, so don't try to "work through the pain" (I can't tell you how long that was my mantra with training - OR how many injuries I incured because of it!)
    This girl is smart. I'd follow it up with some new shoes. They do help. I replace mine after every 500 miles.
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    Not sure if this will help out at all....but this is from msn.com (re: all different sport injuries):

    QUAD, HAMSTRING AND GROIN STRAINS

    ICE first/HEAT after 2 days

    These strains are caused by a tearing of muscle fibers, and an inflammatory response quickly follows. "Since blood is pooling in the tissues, ice will cause the capillaries to contract and restrict, decreasing bloodflow and initiating healing," says Rozanski. Heat will then soothe any lingering discomfort.

    ACHILLES TENDINITIS

    HEAT

    A stiff Achilles tendon is one quick movement away from inflammation. Applying heat will loosen the area and promote healing by increasing bloodflow to the tissues. Ken Locker, a certified athletic trainer at the Presbyterian Hospital Sports Network, in Dallas, suggests laying a hot, moist towel on the tendon.

    SHINSPLINTS

    ICE

    "Control the pain with ice and you can return to activity," says Locker, who freezes water in a paper cup, then peels away the cup and uses the ice block as a massager. Go over the area in a circular motion until it's numb.


    RUNNER'S KNEE

    ICE

    Run past your limit and your kneecap will rub against your femur, causing cartilage damage, inflammation and tendinitis. Relieve the pain with crushed ice. There's no blood in your kneecap, so heat is useless.

    CALF CRAMP

    ICE

    The overuse of tight calves will lead to painful muscle contractions during and after exercise. Although cold temps may make the calves feel worse at first, "ice will prevent delayed soreness," says Rozanski. "Heat will cause the muscles to feel sore for days on end."

    PLANTAR FASCIITIS

    HEAT

    High mileage can cause the band of tissue that connects your heel bone to the ball of your foot to tear and scar, blocking blood circulation. A heating device such as the Thermophore moist-heat pad ($75, thermophore.com) can help bring back blood. Apply for 30 minutes every few hours.

    More From Men's Health on MSN Health & Fitness:

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    Veteran Member redvelvetrose's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shin splint prevention

    ICE ICE ICE!!!!!!!!!

    I used to be a cross country / long-distance track runner, back in high school, and I was super-hardcore about it. I've had shinsplints, a broken toe, a stress fracture, and all sorts of lovely injuries. Shin splints come from too much activity (running, walking) on a hard surface. They are actually tiny tears in the muscle on your shin bone, if I remember correctly. Try doing the excercises others mentioned, make sure you warm up and stretch properly before activity, and most of all, make sure you ice afterwards! Regular icing is really important to keep swelling and pain down! Also, as mentioned also, make sure you cross-train, especially swimming (it works your muscles without putting pounding pressure on your bones). Oh yeah, ibuprofen is also good to keep down the swelling. With shin splints, you just have to deal with them, because they won't magically go away.

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