Running and shin splints

[Beamdogg]

Assuming you run barefoot on the sand your gait and foot strike will be different. This is how you're supposed to run. Replicate the style when you run in shoes on a hard surface. The aim is to make shorter, lighter strides and to land mid foot, so that your heel just kisses the ground, rather than taking the impact of the landing.

This style is harder on the calves though so maybe your technique is okay and it's just the surface being less forgiving. It takes a while to build up the strength in the calves but the key is you can and you'll reduce the chance of shin splints, knee injuries etc. Just make sure you warm up and stretch afterwards. No matter how good your technique, overuse will get you in some way. The strength in your legs to go certain distances will take longer to develop than the cardio fitness required.

Love the concept. Been using it for 6 months. You run much faster also. Got myself a pair of Newton Trainers!

 

[thekelvin]

So when I had a week off from work and wore only new sneakers for a week my shins were probably 70% better. Presently I am still in a lot of pain.
I personally believe the pain comes from my day to day footwear ( I work in an office, so dressy, leather shoes with very little heal support). Then a couple of times a week I go to footy training (already in pain) but it gets a whole lot worse.
I have booked in an appointment today with a podiatrist (after a year of putting it off) lets see how it goes.
Maybe mold is the answer? We'll see.

Will post results.

 

[Cotchin 9]

Assuming you run barefoot on the sand your gait and foot strike will be different. This is how you're supposed to run. Replicate the style when you run in shoes on a hard surface. The aim is to make shorter, lighter strides and to land mid foot, so that your heel just kisses the ground, rather than taking the impact of the landing.

This style is harder on the calves though so maybe your technique is okay and it's just the surface being less forgiving. It takes a while to build up the strength in the calves but the key is you can and you'll reduce the chance of shin splints, knee injuries etc. Just make sure you warm up and stretch afterwards. No matter how good your technique, overuse will get you in some way. The strength in your legs to go certain distances will take longer to develop than the cardio fitness required.

Yeah, this. Takes a little bit of getting used to but it's great.

 

[candiehappy]

I saw my podiatrist about shin splints, and he said forget orthotics - I needed to do LOTS of stretching. It took a few months of stretching every day, and obviously after running, but has worked.

 

[SJ]

I saw my podiatrist about shin splints, and he said forget orthotics - I needed to do LOTS of stretching. It took a few months of stretching every day, and obviously after running, but has worked.

What sort of stretches?

 

[sTeeL]

Rest was the only thing that fixed mine. The pain is inflammation of the muscle across the shin. Its also probably the most impossible muscle to stretch.

Orthotics did help me as well. Not in the recovery but after getting a pair(only for my footy boots) i have not had a reoccurance since. I dont know how bad i had it or if i was a chance of reoccurance but i couldnt even jog it was that painful at one stage.

Hope the info helps

 

[candiehappy]

What sort of stretches?

maily calf & glute, and psoas muscle / lower back

 

[thekelvin]

I saw my podiatrist about shin splints, and he said forget orthotics - I needed to do LOTS of stretching. It took a few months of stretching every day, and obviously after running, but has worked.

So my podiatrist has told me I'm flat footed and this is makes my knees come inward a bit which puts extra stress on the shins.
$850 later I'm having orthotics made.
For the time being my feet are strapped. Must admits more comfortable to walk with the strapping. About to go to training will see what it's like with running.
I also asked about stretching and changing my running technique, she told me:

Physios will tell you to do all these various stretches which will make very little difference as they're tiny muscles.

Changing your running technique is difficult and can often lead to injury as its unnatural.

Will see how the orthotics go web I get them in two weeks.

 

[thekelvin]

Lead to injury****

 

[candiehappy]

So my podiatrist has told me I'm flat footed and this is makes my knees come inward a bit which puts extra stress on the shins.
$850 later I'm having orthotics made.
For the time being my feet are strapped. Must admits more comfortable to walk with the strapping. About to go to training will see what it's like with running.
I also asked about stretching and changing my running technique, she told me:

Physios will tell you to do all these various stretches which will make very little difference as they're tiny muscles.

Changing your running technique is difficult and can often lead to injury as its unnatural.

Will see how the orthotics go web I get them in two weeks.

check our the psoas muscle -
very significant and under rated how it can affect you.

that said, I'm only saying what worked for me. Not suggesting every condition is the same. Good luck with the orthotics

 

[SJ]

It sounds like if I went to a physio and a podiatrist I'd get two different diagnoses and two different remedies.

 

[Kram]

I've had what I assumed were shin splints a couple of times funnily enough not from when I've been running but usually from long drunken walks home wearing not ideal footwear. Are they like sharp pain/bruising on a relatively small area about halfway up shins? Most sore spots from sports go away in no more than a few days, these seem to take over 2 weeks to finally disappear.. Very irritating.

 

[thekelvin]

I've had what I assumed were shin splints a couple of times funnily enough not from when I've been running but usually from long drunken walks home wearing not ideal footwear. Are they like sharp pain/bruising on a relatively small area about halfway up shins? Most sore spots from sports go away in no more than a few days, these seem to take over 2 weeks to finally disappear.. Very irritating.

They probably affect different people to different extents.
I have pain along the inside of my shins along the whole length.
If I apply any pressure with my fingers its very painful.
Same with any kind of jogging or even crouching.

 

[Kram]

Interesting, although the pain was quite irritating and sharp when even walking it was very localised no more than a couple of inches in diameter.

 

[Quokka]

I had shin splints start a couple of times and it just took a lot of rest, the longer you run with them the more rest it'll takes imo.

A mate of mine who's a lot more into his running than me said that most of the time it's shoes, so I stopped running in 10 year old bigW wannabes and noticed a definite improvement. Also the cushioning wears out a lot quicker than people think, if you're running reguarly you're not going to get 12 months out of even a decent pair of shoes and have the same protection. Whether you get shin splints or not probably depends on a few factors (weight, surface, style etc) but either way I didn't want to keep spending hundreds of bucks every few months so I switched and now the majority of my running is barefeet on grass or beach, running on pavement maybe once a fortnight and I've had no injury issues at all in the last year.

You definitely need days off running, running and some general strength training probably 50/50 of on the same day and on alternate days is working pretty well for me.