Distance runners, I need a little help with shin splints

[wickedbob]

Shin Splints. They're bad. Mine are terrible, I've had them since Octerberish. I moved to the country from the city, where I'd ride my bike an easy 10+ miles daily. Can't do that here so I began to run, 5-8 miles daily, occasionally more, on an unever dirtroad covered with stone. My cardiovascular system could take it, my legs could not. I never really ran before, so all of a sudden I was putting major miles on legs which had rarely seen impact. Haven't ran for the past several months, but jumped rope, that made my legs cry.

Now, I'm on track, Doing the 2mile and 1mile. My cardio is better than the other members, my legs probably stronger, but I lag due to leg pain. I'm not being a pansy, often I'll limp around like an old man after practice, and I have to slow down while running, so I'm being outran.

I need to fix this. I ice, I stretch, I heat, I do all that I can now, but never did any up until last week. Is the damage done? Can I maybe hope to have the pain go away, and get better? The coach is little help. Yesterday I could have passed star trackboy, a talented freshman, and today he lapped me 2-3 times on a 1/4 mile course, of something like say I don't know, 30min of running. I was passed by the girls!

Tips and Tricks? I'm thinking of getting fitted for some shoes, my are currently the cheapest model that had at a discount store which sells everything others stores can't. Awesome.

[catinabag1]

You need good supportive shoes. Believe it or not, shin splints start with your feet. I would suggest investing in a pair of shoes that are fit to your foot type and also try taping your feet. Google how to tape for shin splints and you should find some good stuff. I had the same problem during cross country.

[MuniAddict]

Some useful info:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shin-splints/ds00271

[saskatchewanian]

Try running barefoot, it will force you to alter your running technique to all but eliminate heal strikes reducing the impact stresses on your legs.

It worked for me back in high-school when I ran the 800, 1500 and 3000m races.

[johnfoss]

I don't have any experience with shin splints, but I'm still trying to figure out why you can't ride a bike (or unicycle) where you live now? If it's road bike vs. crappy roads, I get it. Possibly look into a "beater" commuter-type bike where you can use slightly wider tires.

If a doctor or other healthcare professional recommends backing off the running for a while, I hope the above is useful.

[ezas]

The problem is tightness in the calves. Look up some calf stretches.

[wickedbob]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

I don't have any experience with shin splints, but I'm still trying to figure out why you can't ride a bike (or unicycle) where you live now? If it's road bike vs. crappy roads, I get it. Possibly look into a "beater" commuter-type bike where you can use slightly wider tires.

If a doctor or other healthcare professional recommends backing off the running for a while, I hope the above is useful.

Nail on the head.

The roads here are dirt, and get washed out. When they aren't washed out they are covered with stone, not awesome for biking. I'm a road bike fellow, I could do as you said, but the workout wouldn't be anything compared to a good road ride. Easier to run + money situation.

My road bike is old and from the 80's, these dirt roads will kill it.

Thanks for the tips.

[SmalltownUni]

I find it strange that a fellow distance runner has them. I am a 3200 meter runner, and i have never had this problem. I have hurt my calf's, but never my ankles. My coach always focused on technique more than real hard training. Try working on it, and it may help you.

You may also be used to running flat footed, from all the biking and uni-cycling you do. It helps me to make sure i am not running flat footed.

[Matt_V]

I have the same problem is you. I love jogging, but whenever I try to get into it I will have shin splints after only a few runs. I stretched well before running and only ran every 2 or 3 days. It would take about a week and a half for them to go away completely.

I was fitted for a pair of running shoes that were designed for my style of step, but I didn't want to pay $120 for them with the chance that they wouldn't work.

Has anyone tried using specialized shoes and found that they worked for preventing shin splints?

[habbywall]

Stop running for two weeks. It's going to be painful to not run when you think you should be training but it's what you have to do.
Compression socks really helped for me, as soon as I would get done with a run I'd put them on as soon as possible, even if it didn't hurt.
Also, get shoes that match your running style. It may seem like you'll never find it, but once you do they feel amazing and you'll never be able to go back to any other kind of shoe.

I agree with what other people say about learning to run barefoot and get away from heel striking. The taping probably has a similar effect as compression socks.

[catinabag1]

You may have to ride a bike (uni) or swim or something for a while till your shins heal up. Stopping everything is bad cause you'll lose your cardio.

[wickedbob]

My coach seems kind of stupid. He makes us go a mile before warming up, kind of far unless you go super slow. No Technique training at all.

I don't think I'm flatfooted really, head coach said I had good form.

I just think I messed them up HUGE with running like I did, coming from cycling which has no force/compression at all. I've also been doing HITT with a jump rope all winter. I could ignore the pain for the 5-7min of HITT, (High Intensity Interval Training) but I'd be limping afterwards. Stupid, I know, but I've gone out of my mind in the country. So like 7min total of really intense jump roping on solid rock, or a frozen unlevel gravel covered dirt road. Ha, I actually used an extension cord a few times, not that it makes a difference.

Practice was canceled today, so I went out for a jog, I couldn't get good form at all. My legs just wouldn't work. I ended up just doing some drills ten min and walking home.

Frustrating, yesterday I beat out both kids pretty much on a 3mileish road run, I kicked like hell for the last 200m. Coach seemed semi-impressed I was leading the pack and had some gas left. I told him my skins are crazy bad, the other day I did pretty bad, and he said don't be a baby. I give what I can when I've got it, but sometimes I just don't got it and can't get it.

I'll try the taping and socks for sure. Anybody know where to get largish gel packs to wrap around the shin? I hate having to sit down after practice for an hour just to ice, sometimes more.

At smalltown: Nothing hurts on me really besides my shins. My knees and flexors get a little tight, but nothing bad at all. It's not really pain in the ankle, it's the lower inner shin area.