Anyone got any remedy for shin splits besides rest? At the moment they aren't too bad but they are getting worse. I did wonder in the support things they sell actually work, or are they just snake oil?
Stretch calf muscles, massage around shin area, anti inflammatory tabs, learn to run only on your forefoot.
My mate is currently suffering with exactly the same thing. He's tried resting it for a fortnight, still no change. New trainers didn't cure it either. Bladeaddict, at the risk of sounding stupid, what do you mean by "forefoot"?
Mate I have had them when I first started to try and do 35 miles a week as a 17 kid years ago. The problem is your legs take a lot longer to get conditioned to running (especially on hard surfaces) than you do. In my honest opinion it takes around three years before your legs can take the impact of running six days a week. Shin splints are very painful but it's just natures way of saying "eh slow down pal". Sad news is the only thing you can do is totally stop running till the pain has gone (around a month to six weeks), the when your legs are ready to start again build up very slowly on grass sports pitches or in woods etc. stay off the Tarmac or pavements and run max twenty mins three times a week. Back fill the other days and rest period with low impact cardio like swimming or cross trainer. I have not had a reoccurrence of shin splints since 1989 and I am still running min 25 miles a week. As said before though change you trainers every three months and (no pun intended) run them in.
Physio says same as above post & don't bother buying supports they won't help. If it persists after rest then either restrict current activity or change to non weight bearing stuff. A good physio would be able to tell you if it's bone/ligament/muscle related if you want to go down that road or they may recommend a podiatrist as can be foot related too apparantly
Thanks for the info. Not doing big mileage, I'm only doing 3 miles 3 times a week, but despite my career history I never have been a runner. Looks like I am going to have to give it a rest for a while as I ended up taking brufen today because the shins were hurting after a run last night. Guess it will just be the turbo trainer for a few weeks as I have tried a week off but it didn't seem to help. Bit of a shame as the running has helped me lose some weight.
because running shoes mostly have thickly cushioned heels causing runners to strike the ground heel first rather than landing on your fore foot. Most Ethiopian runners ran barefoot for more than a decade before becoming elite runners and being paid to where their shoes. If you ever get the chance to try running on soft ground bare foot you will realise how painful it is landing on your heel rather than your forefoot. Running on your forefoot will use your strong calf muscle rather than heel striking puts a lot of shock through your shin bone. Try a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel against your shins for 10mins.
Don't you fancy getting a mountain bike? You'll get better cardio imo & no weight bearing. Pop x tyres on & you can do some off and on road. I've used mine for years to keep fit & its injury free unless you fall off lol better adrenaline rush too sometimes
Got a lovely Road bike that I use for longer rides, and I used to commute on it before I got a hybrid with disc brakes and panniers, no brakes after puddles was the main driver Any way as I live in Lincolnshire there isn't much use for mountain bikes Trouble with getting the road bike is that I tend to disappear for 2 hours plus and as I don't get home from work until gone 6pm it would go down like a wet fart in a crowded lift, whilst the commute these days is 30 miles each way there is no real chance of me doing that. So hybrid on the turbo trainer it will be, but it's not too bad as I have it set up in an out-building and take my tablet out with me to watch a film whilst I sweat It may be an oldie from 2008 but I still like it, and those carbon boys think it is all such a new technology
Personally I think wet farts in a lift are well funny There was something in paper other day Mansfield crown court i think?!? Judge was just sentencing & someone dropped a massive rasper in the public gallery ....judge sent em all out cos everyone was laughing
You need to meet my wife, she gets fart jokes too Must be something about birds and bikes lol. Hang on, you aren't my missus are you If you are then every price I have put on here was just a joke and what I told you was the truth