| Author | Message | ||
| rich stephens (Dino2400)
Member Username: Dino2400 Post Number: 616 Registered: 10-2001 |
Rikki, if you tend to wear out the inner part of your shoe in the heel, then you pronate and may need a "stability" shoe. If you wear out the outside of the heel of your shoe, then you "supinate"(sp?) and may possibly need a stability shoe but many supinators while walking have a fairly neutral foot strike while running (that's me). People with flat feet tend to pronate, and people with high arches tend to supinate. The foot strike is another thing to consider: do you land on your heel and then roll all the way to your toes or do you kind of land with flat feet or even land on your toes? Shoes are made for each style. Buying running shoes is a nightmare - a good salesman who is also a runner or coach can get you close, but there is really no way to know if they are perfect without running in them. If they aren't right, you've just got to drop some more money on a different pair. But still, it's cheaper/easier than knee surgery! TY, I sure hope you can get to the bottom of your shin splint cause. I've had them at various times but always got rid of them by just taking time off. Good luck! | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 3117 Registered: 2-2001 |
the book I read on running RUNNING INJURY FREE said that almost all running ailments come from having overly tight calf muscles or maybe worn out running shoes | ||
| ty (360mode)
Junior Member Username: 360mode Post Number: 172 Registered: 9-2002 |
rikki: sounds like you pronate which most stability shoes are geared towards - i supinate which is another problem. also, as was suggested before, your weight should also play a role in what type of shoes you buy. i hadn't heard that brooks were good for heavier runners so i'm going to try those (i'm 5'11" and weigh about 180). steven: that stinks for your daughter. a close friend had to "retire" from college bball b/c of compartment syndrome. she couldn't even sleep with a heavy blanket over her shins they hurt so much. she had the surgery but still can't run... lol mark - last time i turned my left ankle playing bball my FIRST thought was, crap, how am i going to operate the clutch!  | ||
| MarkPDX (Markpdx)
Member Username: Markpdx Post Number: 495 Registered: 4-2003 |
Quit running, use your legs the way God intended  | ||
| Steven Duke (Sduke)
New member Username: Sduke Post Number: 32 Registered: 3-2003 |
ty My greatest wish for a speedy recovery. I am a North Texas Soccer Staff Coach and I face this problem quite a bit. Soccer is very tough on shion muscles. My daughter currently plays D-1 college soccer at a major Big 12 school. She has suffered from chronic shin splints for almost two years. She has seen two orthopedists, and a podiatrist. All recommended rest as the cure. All x-rays and MRI's have been normal. The last orthopedist put her in casts for two months. Rest has failed to relieve the pain. As soon as she begins training again, the pain comes back. The only relief she has gotten so far was cortisone injections directly into the shins. However, the cortisone can weaken the bone and muscle attachment points and she is only allowed two injections per year. She has had both this year. We had some success with the Cho-pat shin splint sleeves. It helped for awhile, but it can't be worn under shin guards so she couldn't play in them. The university orthopedist is good friends with the orthopedist that works with the Nets, Knicks, Mets, and Rangers. He talked to him at length and the prognosis was the same. No currently effective treatments besides rest. However, my daughter spent six months of complete rest and two of those were in a cast, the pain returned as soon as training resumed. We have tried strengthening exercises and every possible sleeve, wrap or tube with little success. She gets ultrasound everyday and ice baths following training. All merely serve to get her to the next game. The anti-inflammatory drug Bexra offered some relief, but in the advance stages it's not much good. Plus, it causes some stomach problems with extended use. A podiatrist can offer some help with orthotics which correct over-pronation which aggravates the problem. Orthotics don't help if you are a front foot runner, or sprint much. Running on the the ball of the foot places enormous stress on the shins and will quickly re-injure the shins after rehabilitation. My daughter is now considering retirement because the pain has become unbearable. I have had over 20 players retire in my 14 years on the job because of shin splints. Bicycle riding and swimming offer good aerobic exercises while your shins recover. I wish I had better news to relate, but there is little relief once the pain surfaces. You should probably have x-rays for micro-fractures at the attachment points, and MRI's to make sure the bone sheath is not involved. There is a severe diagnosis called "compartment syndrome" that requires surgery. However, I wouldn't run to the doctor until you give total rest a chance to work. I know "stop running" is the last thing you want to hear, but there seems little alternative. You don't want to wind up like my daughter with chronic shin splints that never really heal. good luck steve | ||
| Rikky Alessi (Ralessi)
Member Username: Ralessi Post Number: 336 Registered: 5-2002 |
Sorry to "jack" the thread but I have a question, and figured that it would go well here: Which type of shoes should I buy (cushion, stability, motion control, etc). I have read a lot of different articles about ways to determine your type, but without a running store around here, I really do not know for sure. I do know that when walking/running my feet tend to point inward instead of normal (straight or outward slightly) and that when I walk it seems that I roll my feet inward (although I may just be imagining this). I also know that the inside of my feet (big toe and just under it) get torn apart after anything physical activity that involves a lot of running. I ran for a while, but I could only go once or twice a week because the pain would be so bad after running for even short distances (1-2 miles). The pain was/is mostly knees/shins. I'm not sure how serious it is, or if I am just a wuss or what, but I think that shoes may help some. I had been running in 2 year old completely worn down shoes that were not really made for running in the first place (x-trainers or something I think). Any ideas? | ||
| ty (360mode)
Junior Member Username: 360mode Post Number: 170 Registered: 9-2002 |
thanks for the tips y'all. i think the one thing a couple of you have mentioned is isolating and strengthening the affected muscles. that is something i have not tried b/c i always figured the muscles were strong enough, just not flexible enough. i'm on it! also, i'm due for some new shoes anyway so i'll try the brooks. i've tried asics, NB, adidas, saucony but not brooks. i hope it's something as simple as that! btw, AAARRRGGHHH, i'm cringing in pain just thinking about the coke bottle thing. if you've never had shin splints, you just can't imagine... | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 6333 Registered: 12-2000 |
ah, I feel your pain. I always liked to run, but my Senior year of high school when I decided to stop golfing at the disbelief of my family in order to run track a year I went through major shin splints. Mine came about directly from running no miles in swim season to running 30+ miles a week hard on the track in racing shoes. I don't struggle very much with shin problems anymore, but I have more a triathlete mentality than a runners mentality. I only get about 3 runs in a week. So by no means am I putting the heavy miles in. Only thing I remember my coach saying when I had shin splints was that his coach would tell him to roll a coke bottle down the shin bone hard. I tried once and that was the most painful thing and I never did it again. Ty, from the sounds of it you may actually have a stress fracture that isn't healing and not just shin splints. I guess it may take a specialist and an X-ray to diagnose that. I just know that normal shin splints should go away in 1-2 weeks at the most and not return right away. Other thing is have you tried various shoes? I had problems with the light weight running shoes, but as soon as I started running on Brooks I stopped having problems. The Brooks line is better for heavier 180+ lb runners. I'm 6'1" and 190 lbs. | ||
| Nebula Class (Nebulaclass)
Member Username: Nebulaclass Post Number: 504 Registered: 11-2002 |
I got shin splint a LOT in the Marine Corps. Hated them, but they are gone now. I think what did it was this: I started training for the 2002 LA Marathon in Sep 01. Did the first three months of training by running up the mountains by my house (Mt Baldy around Claremont, Ca). When I started to do long distance on flat ground, I noticed my splints were gone! I think it was all the uphill training....it really strengthens the shins. | ||
| Eric Eiland (Eric308gtsiqv)
Member Username: Eric308gtsiqv Post Number: 977 Registered: 11-2001 |
There's quite a bit of information online regarding this condition. Here's a good link: http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-78-79-529,00.html There are also several websites that offer tips on stretching, etc. for those areas to help reduce the pain. Basically it boils down to a couple of conditions: inflamed muscles putting pressure on those areas, and / or a fracture (either "splintered" or partial) -- the latter of which is cause for concern. Unfortunately, a doctor visit may be required for a better diagnosis to be certain. Like you, I've suffered from them since my senior year in high school (after 5 years of running)-- and that was a good 18 years ago. After reading your post, I could almost feel the pain again. When I first encountered "shin splints", my coach said basically to quit running and find some other form of exercise. A few months ago, I started a running routine again. Started out very slow with short distances, and slowly built my way back up to roughly 4 miles every other day. Then the pain started coming back, so I had to lay off for several weeks until I could even walk without pain. Not sure if I'll ever try running again . Must have done too much damage at a young age. It's sad because, like you and so many others, I love to run! | ||
| david charles (Supraboytt)
Junior Member Username: Supraboytt Post Number: 80 Registered: 10-2001 |
i have them - ••••••• nightmare- running is one of the few things that reall ygives me a rush- and because of the splints i really have to limit my mileage anyways - i have read that you should fill a bucket water or sand or whatever - sit over a table and lift the bucket using your toes- and it strengthens the muscle attached to your shin i have read that shin splints are casued by disparity between the strength of your calfs and the musscle attached to your shin the bucket excersice creates some parity between the 2 muscles let me know if you come up with something that works for ya | ||
| ty (360mode)
Junior Member Username: 360mode Post Number: 168 Registered: 9-2002 |
i've about had it. i've been distance runner for about 12 years now. i've battled shin splints almost the entire time. i've tried EVERYTHING, stretching, icing, heat pads, differnt shoes, socks, podiatrists, orthotics, sports medicine physicians, treadmills vs. pavement, dirt paths instead of pavement, etc. i've cut my mileage in half, from about 60/week to about 30-35 but still no luck. the one weird thing is that they only hurt while i actually run, within a minute of stopping they stop hurting. this makes me think it's something in my stride, not something chronic (yet). makes me think this is the key but i can't put it together. if anyone has ANY suggestions or something that has worked for them, please share! i can;t take it anymore. i love running and don't think seeing another doctor is the answer... i'm willing to try anything that sounds reasonable. i know there are a lot of athletes here so hopefully someone has "the answer"! many thanks! ps - something other than "stop running" |