Hello lovely c25kers!!!! Long time no post! I've been suffering on and off for 4 months with shin pain. Ignored it for a while, could run through it then it would go, then would rest, some days had to stop immediately. I've battled for what seems like ages and always had my shoes at the back of my mind.
It all started when I changed my shoes. I've been back to the shop twice. They've insisted they are fine. I've had sports massages, been icing, foam rolling and exercising. You name it. I've done it. And every time they come back. Not badly, but something niggling.
So today I decided to go for a second opinion. Found a different sports shop. Explained the long story!! He was fab!!! Got me on a treadmill and videoed me!! That was a first!!! He was horrified!! My shoes were not providing the correct support at all. He said they were too small in the toes and agreed too big on heels. Thank goodness at last someone believed me!!!!
An hour later and numerous pairs of shoes tested I came out with a very bouncy pair of Asics. They feel amazing!! Makes me realise how brick like my others were. Unfortunately my shins are sore after the testing so I'm back on rest but now feel there is hope!!!
Toon will be back!!!!!! Xxx
Written by
Toonlou24
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Thanks poppypug pet!! It was quite scary to watch how my ankles were turning in. Wish I'd gone there weeks ago! Nevermind! At least I know now! Just hope this works!! Xx
How frustrating for you! Shin splints can be a nightmare - my sister had months off running with hers and it was new supportive Asics shoes which made the difference! She is now planning her first marathon in June, and shins still good🙂. Hope your shiny new Asics help you get back out there - which ones have you got?
Thanks Sandra. That's interesting about your sister. Gives me lots of hope!!! They are asics gel surveyor 4! If that means anything to you!!! Magic shoes I hope! Xx
Wow - a salutary lesson there! We know our bodies best and shouldn't always assume the so called experts know what they are talking about. So glad you found somebody to listen to you and help you properly!
Thanks ully!! I've said all along it was too much coincidence that it started when I got new shoes. But every time I went back they reassured me it wasn't and I had the best possible shoes. Obviously not!!! Yes!! We know our bodies!!! Shame it took me 4 months!!!! Xx
Good luck! I've had shin splints on and off since I started, I have some nice supportive Brooks Addiction shoes which I am sure are better than the unsupportive Nike trainers I started with- didn't really know much about running then!
As a fellow sufferer I thought I'd pass on my best tips:
-Run with a higher cadence and smaller strides (try not to 'heel strike' but land instead on your mid foot)
-Do heel raises on a stair 2-3xdaily
-KT tape can help
-REST (even when you convince yourself you are definitely ready to run again you have to be strict haha)
-Ice your shins & foam roll your calves
-be very conservative with upping training, just take it slow and steady, it's those enthusiastic impromptu runs that are further/faster than you planned that accidentally bring them back
-keep the faith- you will get better and off the couch! try some other exercise you enjoy in the meantime (I do yoga)
Thanks so much for that! I'm sitting here nodding! So I'm doing all the right things apart from the rest bit! That's where I have gone wrong in the past!! I have been behaving in the last 3 weeks though! Will be difficult to not go for it once I'm pain free!!! I know I will have to build it up again slowly. 😥 but will be worth it. I don't think I appreciated how lucky I was to be able to run. I do now!!! thanks so much for your help xx
Totally! The advice is all there online but you don't think about it until it affects you! My brother and sister have both been affected by shin splints in the last few months too- I haven't had them since Christmas but then injured by achilles by running an unplanned 9k (faster and further than I'd done before)- did my first run back yesterday (5k) but did slightly feel a shin twinge (eeek) so think I may just do one more 20 min run this week and gradually ease back.
The other thing is just to keep it slow- might be frustrating (for me I find this particularly hard when running with others, my training pace is just a lot slower than other people I go out with)- but definitely I always found the shin pain came on when I'd upped the pace too. Slow and steady DOES win the race in the long run because you don't have to keep having time off to recover!
Glad you got yourself sorted toonie. I used to suffer quite a bit from shin splints but now do this after a run (shamelessly stolen from runners world )
'Also, try this stretch for your shins: Kneel on a carpeted floor, legs and feet together and toes pointed directly back. Then slowly sit back onto your calves and heels, pushing your ankles into the floor until you feel tension in the muscles of your shin. Hold for 10 to 12 seconds, relax and repeat.
Ahhhh! Toony! Sorry to hear you've had a rough time, but glad you're on the mend, they do that video gait analysis where I got my shoes, and talked me through it, excellent I think. Asics too, I love asics! Be back on your trotters in no time.
Sorry to hear you're down !!!!! I hope not out though and that you'll be back real soon
I was out for months with the dreaded shin splints but have come through and am back to running. I have lower drop shoes and find them much better. I got some Saucony Kinvaras
I found that the physio worked really well for me but I have to do it routinely now to keep me going
Still resting unfortunately!!! Ha!! Hopefully I will be over the moon soon!!! Not yet!! I shall post a picci later. Unfortunately they're not the nicest!! As I have massive feet they are men's shoes! No nice pretty colours but I don't care as long as they let me run pain free again!! Xx
So glad you've got it sorted out Too Lou. It's quite daunting buying new shoes. Not cheap and you have to put your faith in shop getting it right. Hopefully your Asics will make you fly and shin splints will be a thing of the past.
Poor Toony. Are you going to go back and lambast the twerps who mucked up? That merits giving them the bill for all the therapy and making them eat your oldest pair of trainers with extra strong mustard generously spread on the soles.
Oh yes!!!!! I did!!!! That's another story!!!!!! I went back and had to battle!!! I was spoken to like I was a child, asked if I'd been using my shoes for other activities, etc etc. I challenged her and asked her to stop talking to me as if I was stupid or had done something wrong, as I hadnt. I asked for a refund and explained I had been told these were not the correct shoes for me and had caused me pain for 4 months, I had been back numerous times and been fobbed off!!! she said she couldn't refund as they weren't faulty. I argued they weren't fit for purpose either and I felt they were miss sold to me as caused me injury. They hadn't put me on the treadmill when I bought them. Said they would be fine as I'd had previous version!
She refused. Asked me to run in them for her now. I said ok, but remember I'm injured!!! Ha!!! Just to be awkward! Anyway once I challenged the way she spoke to me she changed and was then actually really nice. Her daughter however wasn't. Was really quite nasty saying "I wouldn't refund her anything. She went some where else and got a second opinion when she should have come back, I told her to come back". I'd been back 3 times and they'd never once tried different shoes on me!!
I then asked if the had the same shoes in the 16's, the new version. They did. I tried them on they were far better. Instantly felt like they fit me properly. My old ones were too big on the heel. She said she would let me have them exchanged. I settled for that as she wasn't going to give me much cash back as I'd worn them, amazingly!!!! So I came out with a brand new pair of brooks adrenaline 16's!!! £115 worth!!!
So I now have 2 new pairs. Am seriously considering taking the brooks in to the other shop I found and letting the lovely man, Mick, I think, look at me run in them. I'm sure he won't mind as was so supportive and horrified by what they had told me was suitable.
Oh, no, I don't - I was pushing the air with my fist yelling "YESSSS!" in my kitchen. Well done - I reckon that a nice new pair of Brooks is the least they could offer in compensation. I am disappointed that they won't get to taste your trainers slathered in Colman's, though.
Yeah shame!! Tempting!! I had to really keep my cool!! I knew if I got angry I'd get nothing!! Asking her to stop talking to me like I was a naughty 8 year old was a good move!! I still had the threat of telling my story to a few local running clubs that shop there regularly up my sleeve too!!! Hee hee!!! Xx
Hi toonie, really hope it is all fixed for you now, sounds like you were right to follow your gut instinct on the shoes. Can you PM me where you got the new shoes from and the old..? I'm intrigued as we possibly got our shoes from the same place....
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Tom-tee-tom-tee-tom
New shoes ✅
Ive got my running shoes!!! :D And bra haha :D
