Calf compression socks to help shin splint pain?

[Cakerunner]

Hello happy runners (and slightly frustrated runners??)

I'm wondering which socks or calf sleeves I should buy to help support my shin splints.....there are loads on tinternet.. any recommendations???

[MarkyD Graduate]

I would recommend saving your money, as I doubt compression socks will help shin splints.

Do you think that you may be over striding when you run? Shin splints are often a symptom of landing heavily on your heel, with body weight behind the knee.

Ideally you need to land your foot onto your mid-foot, with your knee and body-weight slightly in front (or at least above) your foot. That is impossible to correct just thinking about it. So try this little test:

Next time you go running, leave the headphones behind. As you run, try to run as quietly as you can, don’t let your feet make any noise. Automatically you will take shorter steps, and you may increase your cadence (steps per minute) to compensate for your shorter stride. You are aiming for a stealthy, nimble gait. I was instructed to pretend to be an assassin, running up behind my victim.

The main consequence of the shorter stride will be a softer footfall and your hips/knees/ankles absorbing the shock in the manner that they were created to do. And this should eliminate the shin splints.

Give it a try & let us know how you get on!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

I love the idea of Mark as some Ninja Assassin. Spot on advice though.

Compression socks are not the answer and even if they did anything they'd be dealing with a symptom, not the root cause.

When we walk, we automatically stick your leading foot out in front. To walk faster we stick our foot out even further.

Running isn't like fast walking.

Mark's suggestion should help. The idea is that rather than having your leading foot landing out in front of you it should land in line with your hip. If you think of a cycling action where your foot comes back towards you as you push the pedal down, that's pretty much what you need to do with your running action. So consciously take smaller steps and imagine bringing your foot back towards your hip before you land it. . It'll take a while to get used to. It will also get you landing midfoot rather than on your heel.

Sore splints are nasty nasty creatures. Take it gently, watch the length of those strides and you'll be back out there in no time....

[Cakerunner Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Thank you guys! Great advice, I'll try being an assassin next time.....should be fun if nothing else....and while I'm laughing at myself I'll forget how out of puff I'm getting!😁

[Cakerunner Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

I did it!! I did my run like an absolute ninja!!! And it worked.....it was also more fun.....for the first time since I started running I wasn't gasping for the 3 minutes to end...I was enjoying it too much!! Sorry for the over use of exclamation marks! I'm a bit stunned........🤣🤣

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to Cakerunner]

I'm thrilled.

We all see videos of world-class athletes running, and think that we have to be like them. But shorter strides at a higher cadence are the way for us mortals. It's much more efficient.

[Beckisjourneyto10k]

If only just finished week one (today) and have struggled with my shins... going to run like a ninja next week and see if it helps lol x

[Cakerunner Graduate in reply to Beckisjourneyto10k]

Do It!! It definitely helps! 🤣🤣