Recurrent Lower Leg Bone Stress Injuries -- what's the deal?

Shin splints are awful. Try custom orthotics.

Maybe you have one leg longer than the other. A scan could confirm.

Are you getting enough Vitamin D? I know you said you already tried nutrition but maybe you're not out in the sun enough/live far from the equator/don't take vitamin D supplements? Not enough vitamin D causes weak bones.

That many injuries whilst still in high school is really a big red flag..

I would highlight a few things:

- Diet and weight. It's much better to overfuel than underfuel. How much do you weigh and are you eating the right foods? You need a lot of calcium, vitamin d, magnesium to highlight a few things..

- Form / mechanical issues. Do you have serious weaknesses in one leg relative to the other? Do you have some very unorthodox form? I would highly suggest getting this checked out by a specialist.
The thing with bone injuries is that usually you are doing something wrong for this to occur. Whether you know it or not, I would l

Would custom orthotics be all the different from good over the counter-ones? I should have mentioned that I tried the some PowerStep insoles and they were jsust uncomfortable and caused issues in my knees instead of lower legs,

I think I get a pretty good amount of Vitamin D. I am outside multiple times every day, whether that is to run, play a little bit of basketball, or go for a walk. Plus, I take a multivitamin every morning that has 15mcg of Vitamin D, which it says is 75% of my Daily Value. Thanks!

I have taken a pretty close look at nutrition. I am 5'11 and 140 pounds. I would say I eat a pretty healthy amount, and I always try to lean on the side of eating more rather than less. I have tracked calories and macros before and I would always be eating more than 2500, on average closer to 3000 calories per day.

Calcium could definitely be a thing I improve on. My main source of calcium comes from a protein shake, but I only get about 50% of my Daily Value from that. I'm not a huge fan of yogurt and don't each cheese a ton. Would a calcium supplement be a good option, or should I get more from regular foods?

I'm also not sure about Magnesium, that's not something I have focused too much on? I eat a pretty good range of foods since my parents usually cook healthy foods at home. We rarely go out to eat or get fast food. What are some good sources for magnesium, or, again, would a supplement work?

As for form, I have experimented with different styles but I have not consulted a professional. I don't think I have a major difference in my leg strength of each leg; if I had to nitpick, I would say my left quad is weaker because I lost muscle when I dislocated my kneecap. My natural form I don't think is too bad. More people have said I have good form than bad form; I run 165-170 steps per minute and have a slight heel-strike, but not over-striding.

I'll look into the options you are suggesting. It may finally be time to talk with a specialist about my running form, since I have been thinking about that for a while now.

I would look at trying to recover at the first sign of shin splints (rest, ice, compression, elevation) to keep the pain at bay. Rest - depending on the severity, take time off or keep to just easy runs on grass. Compression - wear lower leg sleeves when you run and even sometimes when you’re not running. Try to avoid running downhill on hard surfaces until healed. A anti-inflammatory (e.g. Advil) may be of help. Note this advice does not take the place of seeing a medical professional.

PS - are the injuries coming after you’ve been running in the same shoes for awhile? I find I need to replace mine after 300 miles to avoid shin splints whereas many runners keep the same pair for 500 miles.

Did you ever get a fasciotomy for the compartment syndrome?

I would recommend custom orthotics. They’re pricey, but they really helped with my shin splints. If you get them, check the place’s policy to see if you can get them redone or adjusted within the first few months if they don’t work out. I got some pretty bad blisters on my arches (my orthotics were mainly to stop my severe pronation) because my feet weren’t used to it. If you do decide to go the orthotics route, make sure they work for your feet; I would recommend going on some walks in various terrains to see how they feel before transitioning to running. As a member of the constantly injured crew, hope you’re feeling better soon!

No, it was just an MRI then the doctor diagnosed.

Thank you, I will look into custom orthotics. I've tried over the counter orthotics and experienced pain in my feet and higher up my legs, like in my knees. I hope that custom orthotics would do the trick. Thanks again.

Did that familiar pain go away (I.e, burning/pressure build up in the calves)? It is very rare for compartment syndrome to go away with conservative treatment (I.e., without surgical intervention). If you are concerned about it, the gold standard is a compartment pressure test. But if you have a stress injury in the calf/ankle area usually they’ll wait to test for CECS until that injury is healed. Stress injuries can cause CECS and vice versa. It’s really no fun at all…

if you can find softer surfaces to run on, that would probably be a huge help. maybe also look into heart rate training, if you can remain in zone 2 during your easy runs, you’ll have a greater chance of avoiding injury