When is a pain just minor and when is it splints?

[Plinth]

I've been having an achey slightly bruised feeling on my left shin. Seen something snit shin splints but no idea if this is what I have. I doesn't feel that bad just like I feel if I have a bruise. How do I know?

[Saruma Graduate]

Is it at the bottom of your shin, just above your ankle? If so, I had something similar and it turned out to be tendon trouble. Try ice on it and give it a couple of days rest to settle or it could flare up into something quite nasty.

[Plinth Graduate in reply to Saruma]

Noo, higher up, half way towards knee. Feels worse when lying in bed, ok when walking round at work.

[emzylou Graduate]

I have this pain too. I had it just after week 3 so I rested for 4 days and went back to it. Seemed ok, it just niggled for a bit. I have just been away and not ran for 5 days so again they have had a good rest. Due to start week 5 so will see how it feels.

I find a few days rest helps though and a hot bath.

I completed c25k last year and remember having the same pain. It got worse so I had a week off, went back to running and never suffered since. This time it keeps coming and going but my pace is quicker so maybe putting more strain on my shins.

[Plinth Graduate]

Thanks guys. Seems better today. I'd done a search in shin splints which terrified me! I've only just started this running lark and don't want to stop now- a longer break and I may not start again! When its all new it's hard to tell what is a "new to this: body adjusting" ache that doesn't require stopping excercise, and what is a "rest a couple of weeks", or indeed "bother the doctor"

[Tiger79 Graduate]

Having had shin splints. The pain is like someone is ripping your skin/muscle off your shin bone. At its worst, you can't run. More than two paces and u have to stop due to intense pain.

Be aware it could be shin splints starting and do some toe taps, ice after runs and make sure your trainers are for your gait

[Plinth Graduate in reply to Tiger79]

Wow! Well it def wasn't that bad - so just newbie aches I think. I have got decent shoes now which is already helping. And I've developed actuall bruises so some aches must have had an external non running cause. Big relief!