Just a nasty case of shin splits OR a stress fracture?

I get what your describing when I start to bump up the mileage or go too long without a rest day. Usually the pain will come and go during the run, then hurt the most just sitting or walking around the house.

Both of my tibia's have bumpy build-up along their borders, usually a bit more so where the pain occurs. And like you said, they hurt pretty exquisitely if I apply pressure to them.

Usually icing and a few days off works wonders. Also moving into a lower profile shoe helps as well.

Anyway, I think you just had some bad shin splints. As long as you pass the jump-test you probably don't have a fracture. But be careful it's not the start of a stress reaction.

I passed the jump test, and didn't have as much pain as you, but I had a stress fracture. Best to see a doctor...one that knows runners, if possible.

Yesterday, when I pressed hard on the spot (front left tibia) there was a bit of discomfort, so I decided to give it a go ahead to run my local turkey trot 5K. The race itself was fine, but after the race, my shin muscle (about an area of inch square) right beside the bulge in my tibia (to the outside) felt a bit tight. Now that I try to press hard on the bone, it hurts. The pain is about 8/10. And when I try to hop, it\'s not discomforting, but I can feel something.

Either way, I\'m pretty sure that I have a stress fracture, or at the very least, a pretty bad stress reaction. The smart thing means a break from running, and I hate it, but it needs to be done. Agree?

So, how long of a break? Will 3-4 weeks suffice. I\'ll try biking and pool running to try and keep in shape. I was also about to add some weights and plyos into my training, but that seems like a bad idea for now. So, instead, what kind of strength training can I do for now? Can I do weightless squats, lunges, and calf raises or are they a bad idea?

Finally, the location of this pain in the anterior tibia, but most stress fractures that I have heard of are either on the side or the posterior. So, should I need to be concerned about this because I think sometimes, you need surgery if the fracture in the front.

I got this exact pain my junior year of HS. I think it was overuse/overtraining. It hurt to touch the lower part of my leg, and it even hurt to walk on it. I couldn't take much time off because my team needed me in cross country. It took me a little less than a year to shake the pain off, which probably happened because I changed shoes and reduced mileage. Good luck man, hope it doesn't last too long.

Any input from knowledgeable runners on my diagnosis, treatment, and training during rehab?

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Is there a physio in town you could go see, maybe get a MRI done. It would be best to get a correct diagnosis.

If it's just a stress reaction I don't believe the recovery period is all that long, but if it's a full on fracture you may be out for a while.

In the mean time try to put as little weight on the affected leg as possible. Don't walk if you don't have to, and when you are favor your un-affected leg.

Pool running, swimming and cycling should all be fine in the meantime. Just listen to the leg and don't overdo it! Good luck.

Doesn't sound like a stress fracture to me. If you have health insurance, get it checked out. You could have pain because your anterior muscles are weak, putting more stress on the medial shin.

That being said, I've been going through something similar for about a month and a half now. The pain never gets to the point where I have to limp (which I hear is typical for people running with stress fractures), but I can feel it (mostly at the start of a run, sometimes in the morning when I wake up, or going downhill). My pain also moves from just below the knee down to a couple of inches above the ankle, not in a shooting pain way, but more localized to those two areas.

I was able to race without any pain yesterday, and I can hop on one leg and be fine...

Stress fractures are tricky business, even doc's don't seem to be able to get it right. I knew I had shinsplints once and was at an ortho and he x-rayed and said he didn't see anything, but was sure I had stress fractures in each leg. Since I was only running 30 miles a week and building up, I knew he was wrong. And, he was. I was running 70 miles a couple weeks later and feeling fine.

Any pain or tightness in the hamstring or glute areas?

No there is no pain or tightness in the hamstrings or glutes.

I really don't know, but I think that pressing on the specific part of the bone that supposedly has a stress fracture should always make me jump in pain. It's really is painful to press hard or tap on it for a few hours after a run (the past couple of times in this last week). And also is discomforting to jump on it. But after a day's rest, like right now, when I do press on it, the pain is very mild (a 2-3/10 at most maybe) and there's nothing that I can feel when I do hop on it. So, this makes me think that there's no case of stress fracture rather than a bad case of shin splints that gets pretty inflamed after runs. What do you guys think?

I tried talking to a doctor (sports medicine) and she thinks that if there's localized pain, then it has to be a stress fracture. Of course, I know that's not necessarily true so I have a hard time relying on her to diagnose my problem.

I'll still try and take the next 2-3 weeks off (it may not be necessary but I don't how else to really nip this problem in the butt), frequently ice, strengthen my lower legs and see if this helps....?

I haven't ran since Thanksgiving. The legs seems fine. THere is some mild pain when I do press down hard on the troubled spot. Hopping on the leg is still fine.

I have an appointment on Wednesday with a sports doc to get it checked out. But I was thinking if it would be a good idea, to do an easy 30-45 minute run tomorrow, on a soft surface, before the appointment, just to that I have better info for the doctor.

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If you can get a hold of a tuning fork, hit it against a table to start the vibrating, and then put the handle end directly on your shin. If you feel acute and localized pain, then there is probably a break/crack in the bone that those vibrations are hitting. If no pain, more than likely no stress fracture.

I went to see a doctor today. She got me an X-ray and it came back negative. She thinks that I only have a stress reaction, considering that when she pressed on the bone there was no pain. She said that there is a possibility of a stress fracture which can only be confirmed in 3-4 weeks by another X-ray.

I do think it's only a stress reaction and have been not running for a week now (just as a precaution). The doc wants me to be very conservative and not run for the next 3 weeks. But I don't like it and am looking for advice for how to safely get back to normal mileage as quick as possible. Do I really have to wait 3 more weeks? Thanks.

bump. Anyone with any experience in dealing with a tibial stress reaction?

i had similar pains but figured it was just an overly tight calve so i just foam rolled, massaged and iced it.

next day, ive red marks and bruises everywhere?? whats with that?

I haven't had anything like that happen to me. were you pretty rough with the foam roller? I don't see how else you got have gotten them.

Okay... so I took a month off as the doctor prescribed and just started up about a week ago (ran 35 miles - my norm mileage was 70-75mpw). The original location of pain is fine now and doesn't hurt when pressed hard on it, even after a week of running.

But now, about 2-3 inches higher on the shin bone, there is very very mild pain (about 2/10 at most pain scale) when pressed hard on it. It's not a specific point but rather an inch squared area. I never had a problem with this area originally. I cannot see how it can be a stress reaction as I have been barely running any mileage for a week now.

So, what is it? I haven't had any problems running? How do I quickly treat it? How much do I run and how often? Thanks.

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