My girlfriends complaining of getting shin splints after running. Any remedies? Good stretches? Thanks
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Shin splints
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Posted 8 months ago #
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Brufen and lots of it was the only answer for me. Tried a pair of sorbothane insoles, didn't work, stopped running on hard stuff in the end which helped a bit.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Depends on the cause. Maybe try some calf stretches, but bend the knee a bit so the target the deeper muscle. Maybe also try some friction massage to the lumpy bumpy bits of muscle that attach to the tibia.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Rest and rest.
Then rest.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Thanks, the painful area seems to be along the bone at the front of her leg, she said it's like a sharp pain when she's running then a sore feeling after for a few hours. It's happening in both legs.
Posted 8 months ago # -
stop running
Posted 8 months ago # -
stop running with a heel-strike.
(sorry guys...)Posted 8 months ago # -
She's probably doing too much, too soon, and / or has inappropriate footware.
To avoid them: Warm up properly. Cool down properly. Invest in some shoes with decent cushioning and support. If she over-pronates she'll be more susceptible to it.
To get rid: ibuprofen, rest. Ice might help.
Posted 8 months ago # -
stop running with a heel-strike.
Quite the opposite, I thought? It's smashing the balls of your feet repeatedly into the floor that causes it. (I may be misremembering though)
Posted 8 months ago # -
ahwiles - are you seriously suggesting that someone who has shin splints changes to forefoot running? You know - a technique that whilst it can help reduced impact in the hips, knees, and ankles increases the risk of shin splints.
You also assume that the OP's wife doesnt run like that naturally, as a lot of people do.
Posted 8 months ago # -
ahwiles - are you seriously suggesting that someone who has shin splints changes to forefoot running? You know - a technique that whilst it can help reduced impact in the hips, knees, and ankles increases the risk of shin splints.
eh? how does that work then? - if you land on your heel, you get a sudden, violent extension of the muscles in the shin. this doesn't happen with 'forefoot' running, so less likely to cause/aggravate shin-splints...
running fore-foot, the only thing the muscles in the front of the shin are doing, is lifting the weight of the foot.
running heel-strike, the muscles in the front of the shin have to support the whole body weight, in a shock-load.
i hope i don't need to draw a diagram.
You also assume that the OP's wife doesnt run like that naturally, as a lot of people do.
a safe assumption*, i bet you a packet of hob-nobs!
(*she's got shin pain)
Posted 8 months ago # -
Cougar - Member
"stop running with a heel-strike"
Quite the opposite, I thought? It's smashing the balls of your feet repeatedly into the floor that causes it. (I may be misremembering though)
if you think fore-foot running involves "smashing the balls of your feet ... into the floor" , then you don't understand fore-foot running. i'd describe it as 'gently placing'
Posted 8 months ago # -
As regular viewers will know, I'm prone to hyperbole. Point is, it's impact to the balls of your feet rather than your heels that causes shin splints. Or at least, is one of the causes.
I think, anyway. I'm half-remembering something I researched about five years ago, so could well be wrong.
Posted 8 months ago # -
are we talking about the 'foot-slap' impact? - where the front of the foot is slapped into the ground following a heel-strike?
(you can sometimes hear someone running with a slap-slap-slap-slap... noise)
i'm not a doctor, but i am very very clever.
Posted 8 months ago # -
As with ahwiles, I'm curious as to what proposed mechanism would increase the incidents of medial tibial stress by landing forefoot first?
Posted 8 months ago # -
I only had it when playing badminton several times a week a few years ago. Good footwear and less playing helped. I switched from Adidas court shoes to Asics with full gel insert. The Asics weren't as grippy around the court which i hated, but they were much easier on my shins. Ice afterwards exercise was a reasonable amount of relief before i got the correct footwear. All self diagnosed mind, never had it investigated
Posted 8 months ago # -
You know, if you know all about this then you could just try telling us.
I do hold my hand up when I'm not sure about something, I don't see why it needs an argument.
Posted 8 months ago # -
I used to get shin splints every time I built up a reasonable volume of running. Caused me to give it up for years. When I started up again 4 years ago the old pains started up again and then some so I analysed my running style, realised I was heel striking and running flat footed. Switched to forefoot striking. It took some time to build up my underused Achilles tendons but no shin splints and I was immediately 20% faster as my tendons were now storing energy as they were designed to do and I had more bounce in my stride. Later found out about barefoot running- wouldn't want to go that far but the principle, if my experience is anything to go by, I think is sound.
To the OP get your girlfriend to rest until cured then build up slowly with no heel strike.
To SBZ no one runs naturally with heel strike if they're barefoot or have thin soled shoes- its too damned painful.
Posted 8 months ago # -
"You know, if you know all about this then you could just try telling us. "
I am pretty sure he already did.
Posted 8 months ago # -
What muscles are there in front of the shin? And where is the pain from shin splints?
Posted 8 months ago # -
Lots of info here
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/beating-injury/shinsplints---how-to-beat-them/234.htmlPosted 8 months ago # -
That page is 11 years old.
Posted 8 months ago # -
11 years old, but still usefull.
these muscles (circled green):
[img]
are shock-loaded during heel strike running. in much the same way as the quadracep muscles are shock-loaded when you run down a steep hill*.
lots of people can run with a heel-strike, without hurting these muscles. good for them.
lots of people can't run like this without hurting these muscles. they may or may not want to do something about it, it's up to them really, they can of course do what they like.
but if you had to think of a way to hurt these muscles, heel-strike running would be a good way to start.
(*ever done a fell race? - and not been able to walk down stairs the next day / week? - it's the descents what done that to you)
Posted 8 months ago # -
I had shin splints years ago - probably from over-exuberant football training. Got progressively with all the other running I was doing. Ended up doing the following over a 12+ month period:
> 5-10 min walking pace warm-up at the start of each run
> break up every 10-15 mins running with 5 mins walking
> return home, put feet up and pack ankles/shins in ice (socks packed with cubes works fine)Condition may well improve. Mine did, but not sufficient to say it was over. So that's when I had a special sole thingy made (to measure) for each foot. This reduced pain by about a further 50% so I then started cycling more and running less. After a few months I was perfectly fine. Have literally been able to run any time/distance (well, fitness permitting of course) since. I put it down to strengthening the problem area coupled with reducing the impact 'brittle-ness'.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Thanks everyone. She had her feet measured and a pair of asics that were reccomend to her, so I don't think it's down to the trainers as much. The heel strike seems to make sense as she runs in that motion. She has made an appointment to have her running analysed on a camera. They also suggested she didn't run till then. Thanks again.
Posted 8 months ago # -
fore-foot running isn't easy.
it's not about running on your toes - that's sprinting.
after each 'landing' your foot should be flat on the ground.
most people find this tricky to do at first, so just run on their toes, and attempt to run as far as they were doing in their good old heel-strike days.
this is murder on the calf muscles, in exactly the same way as heel-strike running is hard on the shin muscles.
so, Catflees, if your or girlfriend think fore-foot running might help. it's going to take time to learn. try 5mins and see how she feels the next day. if 5 is ok, try 10, and see how she feels the next day.
she'll still be rubbish at it because it's tricky, so, 10mins, twice a week, for a couple of weeks.
work up slowly from there.
or not, whatever.
hey, surrounded-by-zulus! - you owe me a packet of hob-nobs!
Posted 8 months ago # -
The video analysis should help. I think was told I was an over-pronator and that was contributing to the problem. Hence the custom soles worked pretty well. Think they cost £70/pair (about 7-8 years ago).
Posted 8 months ago # -
catflees - Member
She has made an appointment to have her running analysed on a camera.i predict they'll tell her she needs new shoes, which will be £80, and probably some gell footbeds, which will be £40, and/or maybe some custom moulded orthotic inserts, which will be £100.
nobody ever went on one of those gait analysis things only to be told, 'you're fine!'
or 'your feet are getting weak, your shoes have too much support, take those orthotics out'
or, 'you've got a verucca, that's why you're running funny - go and get some cream'
the answer is always 'you need to give us about £100, and if we think we can ask for more, we will'
Posted 8 months ago # -
custom moulded orthotic inserts
Yep, that's what I had. Knew it was an 'ortho-something'. Well worth checking out.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Shin splints is horrible
Ice, physio, acupunture and rest helped mine. My physio gave me exercises too - both for strengthening my shins and calves. I also had my running analysed and switched to nike lunar glide+ which have more cushioning than my adidas (also try to run on soft surfaces where possible these days).Ultimately what seemed to be the cause for me though was my psoas muscle had gone into spasm and had shortened on one side which then gave me a slight leg length imbalance - enough to cause shin splints when i had a high running mileage. Whenever it goes into spasm and i go for a run, i always end up with some sort of pain in my shin.
Posted 8 months ago # -
nobody ever went on one of those gait analysis things only to be told, 'you're fine!'
Worth doing more than one, see if they agree, perhaps?
Posted 8 months ago # -
i was told i definitely needed orthotics because my 'toes were too high'...
(wtf?)
i only went in to see if they had any wide-fit shoes...
(inov8's are bit narrow)
Worth doing more than one, see if they agree, perhaps?absolutely, and they'll definitely agree that she definitely needs to spend about £100...
Posted 8 months ago # -
That page is 11 years old.
My legs are over 40 years old and they haven't changed that much, think they are still the same on the inside!
Posted 8 months ago # -
ahwiles - Member
nobody ever went on one of those gait analysis things only to be told, 'you're fine!'
I did! And I'd told them I was prepared to buy new trainers if that was the issue!
I seem to be a bit prone to shin splints, mainly after time off running, or doing too much. I've recently been using compression calf guards for a couple of hours after running, and they seem to help no end.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Shin splints is often a generic term for pain usually on the interior or posterior part of the lower leg. In my experience its mainly due to building mileage up too quickly and seldom disapears without rest. Unlike other injuries trying to run through it almost always ends in more damage and enforced layoff later, sometimes developing into a stress fracture.
Icing and Ibruprofen will help but unless you reduce your training then it will likely worsen.
I would recommend the above and return to running slowly and aim to run on soft surfaces as much as possible.
I cant quote any sources on this but from memory there is little evidence to show that stretching or leg strenghtening exercises produce much benefit although they are not bad things in themselves.Posted 8 months ago #
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