Sore shin muscles when walking?

Question

When I 'fitness walk' the muscles in my shins becomes very sore. I don't think these are shin splints, I have had those before and this is different.

This is specifically muscle pain and is localized to the muscle along the side of my shin bone. It just seems to tire much quicker than the rest of my muscles. When I first started fitness walking it was sometimes was so bad that I could not flex my foot upwards (point my toes up) several hours after walking.

I thought it was a matter of just building up those muscles. However, I still have the pain after 6 weeks of walking. What is more, it isn't predictable. I thought is was gone when last week I was able to walk 30 minutes without a problem, but now I struggle with the pain after just 10 minutes.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any thoughts on a solution?

Answer 1

It hurts and the muscles in that area are really tight. It is not shin splints. It's lactic acid build-up in the muscles.

I have this exact problem despite walking 8 marathons.

It is caused by not warming up enough. Start off more slowly for the first mile or slow and then allow yourself to accelerate to the full speed. If you never go very fast, then go for about a half mile and then stop and do some shin stretches. One good one is to hold your knee straight and immobile and write the alphabet with your toe. Or go clockwise 20 times and then counter clockwise 20 times.

Another thing to note is that you can walk through this though it isn't a lot of fun. If I start out too fast or cut short on the stretches, I sometimes get the pain. I find that if I simply press on, the pain subsides after about 3-4 miles and doesn't come back.

Answer 2

Shin Muscle Pain

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Sore shin muscles when walking?
When I 'fitness walk' the muscles in my shins becomes very sore. I don't think these are shin splints, I have had those before and this is different.

This is specifically muscle pain and is localized to the muscle along the side of my shin bone. It just seems to tire much quicker...

Answer 4

Sounds like shin splints to me but you may be right and it isn't.Sounds like it's possible you severely strained those muscles or they may have torn away from the shin bone..kinda like shin splints.After the amount of time exercising it still hasn't stopped hurting then it may be something worth having a doc look at.Nothing should still be so sore and hurting after 6 weeks of exercise.The muscles should have adapted to the increased lactic acid by now.

Answer 5

I have had the same symptoms and at first I thought it was shine splints. The DR. wasn't surer I did some more investigation and found out that it's a genetic thing for me. It was the Achilles tendon and it's shorter than the average and I really need to do constant stretching on a daily basis so I don't have these issues. I would suggest a system to breakdown the process and see when exactly it occurs and then write it down and dissect it from there look at the shoes your wear,the plain of the ground are you walking heal to toe,etc. Good luck.

Answer 6

Have you down any exercise thats more than normal? I dont do nothing till soccer season starts every year and my shins feel like there going to snap. I can barely walk sometimes but I keep at it until it goes away( which seems like forever). People have told me its shin splints, hope this helps.

Answer 7

This used to happen to me all the time as well. If you keep walking those muscles should become stronger eventually. There is something that works out those muscles that most gyms have, if you do go to a gym, someone should be able to tell you where it is.

Answer 8

hmmm.... only 2 things I can think of...

1. either you are not ingesting enough protein for muscle development

or

2. low bone density creating pain in the shin.

Answer 9

it could be shin splints, but if your confident its not, try doing something to relax the muscles, maybe a massage or look into foam rolling

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--11556-0,00.html

Answer 10

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