Mysterious pain close to shin, but not a shin splint

Injury/Nutrition Shins

15 years ago 05/16/2008 2:30pm EDT

I have a pain about 1/4 of the way up from my ankle, approx. inch and half away from the shin bone on the inside of my calf. It's not hurting on a bone, but it feels like a very deep painful muscle bruise. I was mentioning it to my coach and he pressed on it with his thumbs. I almost fell on the track in pain. It doesn't hurt when I am fresh and rested but will ache after a hard workout. But the pain when I press on it is always present. I've had this for about 4 or 5 months with no change. I have been running and competing at a pretty high level --I'll take a couple Motrin if the ache gets bad. I took 2 weeks off with no change.

Any clue as to what this could be? Thanks.

15 years ago 05/16/2008 3:26pm EDT

I think I've got the same thing as you. I got an MRI done an there was no sign of a stress fracture although I've been battling this pain for months. I took about a month off earlier in the season but it came back, I just recently took 6 weeks off and 4 of them were in an air cast. I'm just coming back off injury and hoping I can get a good summer of training in with no interruptions unlike this winter.

15 years ago 05/16/2008 3:26pm EDT

re: injury??

shin spints are a soft tissue injury, they are micro tears of the tendon that runs up the tibia

it could still be shin splints, get it checked out if it hurts that much

15 years ago 05/16/2008 3:36pm EDT

re: uh_no

I thought shin splints would be closer to the shin bone. This is in the more fleshy part of the calf. If I put my finger on my shin bone and then move it about 2 inches to the inside, that's where the pain is. I also thought they were closer to the knee. This is about 4 inches above the ankle bone. Is that still considered a "shin splint" problem?

15 years ago 05/16/2008 3:43pm EDT

re: injury??

it seems like it would still be some sort of soft tissue problem, shin splints can be from the knee down to the ankle,

but by what you describe, it could be any sort of soft tissue tear around that area

down near the ankle there are tons of tendons that control the movement of the ankle, it could very well be the one on the inside that causes the foot to roll inward

did you switch shoes before this started by any chance or are you in a growing stage?

15 years ago 05/16/2008 3:48pm EDT

re: uh_no

Soak your lower legs in a bucket of ice and water for 5-7 minutes on and off for 2 or 3 times. Do that a couple times a day and it should go away. Anti-inflammatory pills are bad for your liver.

15 years ago 05/16/2008 4:06pm EDT

re: uh_no

No more growing, but I did switch shoes. I will get back to my previous model. I'm not aware of my foot rolling inward but perhaps that is it.

And the ice water suggestion from another poster is good, I will try it.

Just FYI for a poster who mentioned anti-inflammatories leading to liver problems:

Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) won't hurt your liver but they can rip your stomach lining. Excess acetaminophen (Tylenol) will hurt your liver. Tylenol is a pain reliever but does not reduce inflammation.

"When you take ibuprofen, you’re taking a drug that is a classic non steroidal anti inflammatory drug. It has analgesic (pain-killing) properties and it blocks inflammation.

Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is an analgesic only. It decreases pain but does not have anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanism of action is different from that of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs."

15 years ago 05/16/2008 7:26pm EDT

re: injury??

John Mortimer says advil was the reason his liver nearly killed him.

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Mysterious pain close to shin, but not a shin splint

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