I have a bad shin splint pain

Training Advice/Discussion General

9 years ago 12/17/2014 5:25pm EST

My right shin has various pains. Moderate to painful, and would go away during a run, only to return after the run when my body cooled.

I tolerated this and even began loading up with ibuprofen to dull the pain.

then I did a track workout on an indoor track and after the drive home was barely able to put my foot on the ground during a walk from the car to my home's front door. I have decided to take a few days off. It was planned to be three, and now it's eight, because I still feel it and know if I begin training again, it won't be long before I'm right back where I was.

Any suggestions other than seeing a doctor?

9 years ago 12/17/2014 9:28pm EST

re: PC Alum

I lived with shin splints my whole life through high and college...had several stress fractures.

First thing you need to do is make sure this isn't a stress fracture. Describe the pain more...is it in one small spot or all over the shin?

Have you ever had shin pain? How long have you been running? When and why did it start occurring? Are you doing more mileage, harder workouts, different shoes, different running surfaces, etc?

Provide more info.

9 years ago 12/23/2014 3:16pm EST

re: PC Alum

Yes-- I was basically in your situation last August.

1. Stop the track workouts.--- Jeff Galloway says ok to run through shin splints except don't do speed workouts. That was my fatal mistake, and I was rewarded with a stress fracture

2. Cut your miles

3. Go to the pool. Get an aqua jogger belt and start doing aqua jooging for a couple of weeks until it goes away/gets better. You will basically keep your conditioning with no impact on yuor shin.

9 years ago 12/24/2014 6:44am EST

re: PC Alum

I would check in with a physical therapist and/or doctor to be sure you aren't nursing a more serious injury like a stress fracture. That being said, I struggled with shin splints for years during my XC and track career, but it was due to heel striking. I tried everything: braces, ibuprofen, icing, sleeves. Nothing worked.

Then I put in a month of specific training to change my gait and foot strike (now a mid-foot runner) and have been shin splint free ever since, even on miles of pavement.

Good luck!

9 years ago 12/24/2014 8:38am EST

re: BrytonCW

Heel strike prevents splints. If you're running slowly on easy runs, try that.

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I have a bad shin splint pain

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