Newbie with sore shins!

[Cooper27]

Hi all,

I'm on week 2 of my running programme, just now - I've tried a few times before, but never stuck with it - but this time I'm more determined! I'm calling into the gym twice a week and running on the treadmill so I can't use weather as an excuse.

At the moment I'm noticing a lot of pressure on my shins - it's a bit of a jolt travelling straight up. Not painful but I think it might get sore if I'm not careful.

Can someone tell me where I'm going wrong with my technique? Is it maybe just from changing speeds on the treadmill?

[Jonesycat Graduate]

Hi! I'm no expert, not even close, but I'm wondering whether when running your foot hits the ground/treadmill heel first? This is supposed, from what I've read, to be the most stressful style in terms of impact on the joints etc and a mid-foot strike is generally recommended. Just a thought ...

[Cooper27 in reply to Jonesycat]

Oh maybe! I do need to pay attention to how my foot strikes, but at the moment I don't know what I'm looking for!

[Jonesycat Graduate in reply to Cooper27]

It might not be that at all - I'm going on the 'bit of a jolt' you mention) - it might just be shin splints (in which case, shedloads of advice on treatment if you search this forum or Google it).

Very best of luck, hope you sort it and keep running!

[spinrek Graduate]

You mention shins in title but calves in your post. So here's my advice for painful stiff calves. Again I'm not an expert but it could be a number of things.

Your muscles could be doing something they're not used to so will need time to relax into it. Make sure you're doing your warm up and down walks. And maybe a rub afterwards would help them recover quicker. I think rolling a tennis ball over them? Google it.

It could be you have the wrong trainers for your feet (I know that sounds strange) and it could be that you're on the flat - try inclining the runner for your warm down walk.

Hope they help and hope someone else can offer more advice 👍

[Cooper27 in reply to spinrek]

Thanks for pointing out definitely mean shins, not calves, I'll correct!

I'm doing the warm up walks, and a bit of a cool down walk - I do a 3 min could down walk them go on to do 5-10 mins of arm weights and then stretching...

Trainers wise, I made sure to buy a pair that fit perfectly, but you might be right that they might not be quite right. My idea is to get my gait measures when I'm a bit more committed...