Does anyone have a link for stretches for shin-splints?

The pain is in the inside lower leg, near my ankle if there are any that are specific to that?

When I suffered I was advised to put my toes on a step and drop my heels. Seemed to help. Rubbing an ice cube into the area until its all melted will help reduce swelling. Ice cube works better than just putting ice on. I tried orthotics but in the end bought light flat shoes and taught my self to run as lightly on my toes as possible not had any problems for three years now.

I’m suffering from the same at the moment.

I kneel on the floor with my feet behind me, it stretches out the fronts of your shins. It hurts if you’ve buggered your ankles in the past though (my left ankle is knackered from being ran over years ago)

Try massaging the area lots too, and ice packs really help. Rub the inner boney bit down towards your foot, pressing all the knobbly bits out of the way.

Or see a Physio 🙂

Cheers guys, the ice cube thing sounds good as don’t have to bother timing and apply/re-apply etc.

It’s a bit annoying really, I managed the Leeds Half Marathon at the start of summer but shin-splints were a problem. I’d really like to do the Manchester Marathon next year after hopefully doing the Cardiff half in October but not sure if I’ll be able to or not.

Fingers crossed though.

I used to pack my footie socks with ice cubes and just keep em raised (a la broken legs in hospital) until soaked. Other than that I did more miles on the bike as well as changed my running method; run 15 mins, walk 5, repeat. Combination of those did the trick for me 10 years ago.

EDIT: I remember getting some customised orthotic soles made up too. I’m pretty sure they made a difference because of my over-pronation. Worth looking into.

I’m a bit rusty on this and a diagnosis from a runner orientated physio should be sought, but here goes: true shin splints affects the tibialis anterior muscle which dorsi flexes the foot (lifts it), in its most severe form it tears the muscles connective tissue away from the outer layer of the bone causing fractures. You may have this, or you may have a lesser degree of aggrivation such as inflammation of the connective tissue and or muscle tightness.

The cause can be too much too soon, of volume (duration, frequency etc) or intensity (impact, increased exertion etc). You need to stop or significantly decrease your causes.

Use ice for short bursts (<10min) frequently throughout the day, in the acute stage ibuprophen may reduce pain and swelling, if advised to stretching the muscle requires it to be lengthened, I have found that by adopting a standing quadriceps stretch position and then adjusting the ankles range of movement until it feels right worked of me.

Get your footwear and gait checked at a proper running shop, build up your runs on a treadmill, run on soft surfaces, avoid tarmac but above all get some professional advice from a running expert rather than some rusty old git on a cycling forum.

PS: 10k’s are where its at for injury prevention, not having to dedicate your life to training and having more frequent events.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/beating-injury/shinsplints—how-to-beat-them/234.html

It’s not shin splints any more it’s medial tibial stress syndrome now.

Qwert – you talking about compartment syndrome?

There’s quite an interesting read on MTSS here (if you can ignore the sticking bits of plastic in shoes solves everything slant)
http://www.podiatry-arena.com/podiatry-forum/showthread.php?t=1898.

How near your ankle is the pain BTW?