Shin Splints?

Question

I've got shin splints again and I really need to get rid of them because our first meet is in a week and a half...I know that you can ice them and take tylenol so thats nothing new but are there any stretches or lifts that could ease the pain any? Experienced runners only please! Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Once you RICE your shins and they feel better and have healed, you can strenthen the muscle behind the shins by doing what we called "pitter-pats" in college. Lie on your back in a sit-up position, knees bent. Rasie your feet off the ground and flex your ankles alternately and quickly, like you're kicking from the ankle down while swimming. Doing 3 sets of thirty will help decrease the risk of injury by strengthening and stretching the muscles in your ankles and calves. It seems easy enough so why not try? There is no "cure" for shin splints but you can try to avoid them in the first place.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You really ought to be careful that you don't push yourself to full stress fractures. However, I was a stubborn runner and ran with shin splints most of my high school and college career. My coach would actually tape my shins. I did ice before and after practice but he would criss cross tape the front of my shins. The best way I can explain it was that there was one piece wrapped around my ankle, one piece wrapped just below my knee and then an x that covered my shin in the front. It basically would take the pressure from my shin and the tape worked as a support between my knee and ankle rather than letting my shins take the full impact. It did take some getting used to but it also relieved the pain and again, lessened the impact. Ask your coach and or trainer if they know how to criss cross tape your shins to relieve pain and pressure. I found a website that talks about shin splints and also discusses the taping:

"After at least a two-week rest period, a gradual resumption of exercise is recommended. Icing the legs for 5-10 minutes before stretching and after cool-down is recommended. Crisscross taping of the anterior leg maybe be helpful for the individual with anterior shin splints, as well as raising the heel portion of the shoe approximately one-eighth of an inch. The individual with posterior shin splints should remember to hold the body erect rather than leaning forward while running, and to avoid landing directly on the toes. An extra pair of socks for warmth while running is also recommended."

I never did the additional raising of the heel; that might or might not help you. I also attached the website.

With icing, an easy way to get all of your shin is to freeze ice in a dixie cup and once frozen, peel back a bit of the top of the cup and you can easily hold the ice cup cube and ice up and down your shins.

Just make sure that your shin splints don't turn into stress fractures. A stress fracture will feel more like a pin point area that hurts with light and deep palpation. It won't hurt all up and down your shin like shin splints do.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Okay Max, here's what you need to do:

1. Ice
2. Rest
3. Exercises and stretches to strengthen your shin muscles. You see, the problem that causes shin splints is muscle imbalance. YOu have great calves from running but it does nothing for the front of the leg. Lie face down in bed and let your toes hang off the end. Slowly pull your toes toward you against the resistance of the mattress. Work up to high reps and that should cure your problem.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Dude, I feel your pain. I run on regular bases, mostly soft sand for working calves, but what ever you will do, you will get these stupid shin splints. Dont worry though, mainly, there isnt MUCH you can do. But there is some things, after every run, elivate your legs about 180 degrees. Hold for about 1 min, and your good to go. Do this every time after a run. Also if you have a meet or w.e, there is like.... god i dont know the name, but its at every Rite Aid, places like that. Its a bandage roll of brown cotton material. What you do is tie that around your leg, then get fitness tape(its like probably in the same section), and tape it all. You want it somewhat tight so you muscle dont clash into your bone. Hope this helps

Answer 5

No no no no...there's only one way to get rid of shin splints. You have to break them up. Use the back side of a spoon or even your finger and run it down your shin right on the outside of the tibia (shin bone). When you find a spot where it hurts, push into it as hard as you can and massage the spot. It WILL hurt, but hey, runners are hardcore. What you are doing is breaking up the calcium deposits in your muscles. When you have shin splints, your shins will also hurt if you push on one of these deposits, so your job is to break them up. Ice and tylenol help too, but they don't get rid of it as quickly as this. Even though it will hurt some, you have to do it if you want to be able to run in the meet. Good luck.

Answer 6

You really need to read "Stop Shin Splints" by Gary Buchenic (also available in electronic format here: http://www.shinsplintscure.org ). It's about how to permanently cure your shin splints naturally. Worked for me and for thousands of people. Good luck!

Answer 7

well... i ran track in highschool... played collegiate D1 football and now i'm a contending triathalete. you cant run shin splints away ... ice will make them feel better of course, but you have to be dedicated to that ice bucket. bags of ice dont work. soak the entire lower half of the leg in buckets of ice/water... typically 50 degrees. it hurts a lot, but only for the first couple of minutes. if you do that already... keep doin it, especially BEFORE any exercise.

stretching is a temporary relief ... sit on the ground and have someone push your toes downward while your legs are flat. also... you can buy compression sleeves made of neoprene specifically for shins. but all that is temporary. ICE ICE ICE and more ICE ICE ICE ... 20mins on and 20mins off. if you want them to go away be dedicated to it.

and when they finally go away be careful not to do a lot of bounding and running. get in the gym and strengthen your calves and the muscles on the outside of your shins. be gentle with the weight... high reps. then of course after strengthening..... ICE ICE ICE. good luck.

Answer 8

As with any injury, rest is a must. It sounds like you're doing the other right things ice & anti-inflammatory. Try the shin stretch on the attached link to see if that helps. Good luck...and be smart..don't push yourself to the point where you make the injury worse.

Answer 9

No only rest and ice.shin splints are when the thin muscle tears away from the bone. ry taping them
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/lowerleg/shinsplints.htm

Answer 10

yeah they suck i had them all the time for the last 2 years during track i just rested them alto at home but usually for me right before the race i would get a adrenaline rush and i wouldn't feel them as much