Shin-Splints

[Maxi80]

Afternoon guys.

I think I might have anterior shin-splints. Will the condition improve or is it just a case of running with it regardless?

I’ve just order a compression sleeve to see if that helps.

Cheers

[Daiwalker]

Ouch, I used to get the dreaded splints too. Unfortunately no magic wand but I did find shortening my gait and trying not to land heel first helped a lot. The way I understood the splints is the muscle fibres tearing away from the shin because all of the weight (when landing heel first) was forcing the front of the foot down against the muscle that was in tension (preparing for the foot fall). By landing more toe first the pressure on that muscle group greatly diminishes. Hope that makes senses and if it does make sense, I hope it helps. It's explained better here - mountainridgept.com/physica...

[Maxi80 in reply to Daiwalker]

Thanks, mate. I’ll have a gander 👍

[nowster Graduate]

As Daiwalker says, landing more forward on the foot helps prevent the jolt through the bones that landing on your heel can produce.

Try to land your foot under your centre of gravity if you can. Shortening your stride length can help. The diagrams in that link give you an idea of how that works.

[Maxi80 in reply to nowster]

Thanks again, mate. I see compression sleeves are advisable too?

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Have you got good shoes?

[Maxi80 in reply to Tasha99]

Hey. Yeah I’ve got some Mizuno running shoes. I’m hoping a compression sleeve will help.

[Tasha99 Graduate in reply to Maxi80]

ASICS gave me shin splints. Maybe you need a gait analysis?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The guide to the plan has advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

[CocoChannel]

Your other post mentioned supination. I always get confused over the pronation terminology, but it sounds like I’m the opposite and have fallen arches, which I didn’t even realise until I started running. I used to get nasty shin splints. The problem was due to my fallen arches as the foot would move inwards slightly every time I landed.

The solution was to see a podiatrist and get a pair of tailor-made insoles. They were £180 but will last forever, and the shin splints were cured.

[Maxi80 in reply to CocoChannel]

As Echo & the Bunnymen said ‘Nothing lasts forever...’ - only joking 😂

I suppose I’ll just have to see how it goes as I progress.

You can still run with shin splints can’t you?

[CocoChannel in reply to Maxi80]

Well, I’d say be very cautious. Running is supposed to be mildly pleasurable and not painful. I know people who’ve given up running due to shin splints when an easy fix such as insoles would’ve sorted it. Shin splints can lead to stress fractures, and if there’s any sort of misalignment going on such as dodgy arches, imagine the extra strain over hundreds of thousands of steps.

I’m not a sports injury expert, but I’ve seen a few 😀 Just some background, I was obese up until 3 years ago, but lost the weight and took up triathlons (the running part is “only”5 or maybe 10K, so I’m not the Ironman type). Someone like me was bound to get niggles, but I always saw a physio to nip any problems in the bud. I wouldn’t be able to run anywhere near as much if I hadn’t sorted my shin splints.

[Maxi80]

Thank you for the insight. I’ll definitely take note of all of that 👍👍