Shine Splint Help

[NewBalance]

Hi all - I've been following this in the hope of managing a 5k run but unfortunately things are not going so well!

I started off ok but once I got to week 6 workout 2 I started to get shine splints. My shoes are good as I bought them from a running shop and had everything professionally done so I read about shine splints. The advise was 'take a two week break then start again'.

I've had the two week break and gone back to week 2!! however I'm still getting shine splints! Not bad enough to stop me completing the week 2 program but enough that I can feel the pain.

My question is - Has anyone else had a similar problem? and should I just stick with week 2 in the hope that once my body gets used to it the pain will disappear and I can move on to week 3 etc?

Any thoughts apprecaited

[Hidden]

Unfortunately shin splints are extremely common for runners that have just started, or just returned to run after months or years off.

They are partly caused by the muscles and tendons in the shins becoming weak through lack of use, but in extreme cases can be other things like micro tears in the software tissues of the shins, or even micro fractures in the shin bones. Not as bad as it sounds, as micro tears in muscle are a perfectly normal part of their strengthening process, and micro fractures are less common, and usually not serious anyway. In fact they lead to increased bone density over time.

You can minimise them in a couple of ways. One is through low impact exercise between running sessions. There's a do anywhere one that simply involves sitting down, pointing toes down, lift toes up trying to point them at the knee of the same leg, hold for a few seconds, relax, repeat a few times.

The other is the post run scrub. Get a hot soapy bath sponge, if the kind with a rough side. Just firmly sweep down the shins. That will get the blood moving in there. It's quite soothing.

Tiger balm is a good thing too. But I darent recommend it because some people react with it.

[NewBalance in reply to Hidden]

But can I just work through it?

[Hidden in reply to NewBalance]

If you want to. That's up to you. Only you know how much pain you're in, and how serious you are about conditioning your legs and feet.

[Rignold]

Are you doing any exercises to strengthen your legs?

[NewBalance in reply to Rignold]

Hi - No not so far. Would you suggest anything?