i have shin Splints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELP HELP HELP!?

Question

ok.. so i read other reviews and they said my shoes might not be good or just because you know because i run.

How do i know if its the Shoes or ME??

I'm an american living in lebanon so i dont have money and i dont have access to big Nike stores so what can help

And i dont want to buy new shoes if the shin splints are caused by me or whatever!!

Please Help!!

Answer 1

Well, it depends on where your shin splints are.

If they are the standard shin splints (on the inside of your calves), then couple things could be affecting it. It could be your shoes, but it might also be your running form, could be from improper training, or you might need orthotics inside your shoes. So kinda hard to say witht his brief information.

To help deal with the pain, I would suggest icing your inner calves 2 times a day. Take 2 asprin just before you go to bed. I hope that will help you recover quickly.

Also take a look at your shoes. Are they proper running shoes or are they some cheap brand trying to be a high-end running shoe? You don't need a big Nike store to get good shoes. In fact, some internet companies can ship you shoes. I would say look at some proper web sites for runnng shoes. You don't need the $150 top-of-the-line running shoes to gett he best. Take a look between $75 to $95 dollars. LOTS of shoes in the range. Try Asics, Saucony, Mizuno, Brooks and adidas shoes. (That order....)

When reviewing your running shoes, look to see what the wear-pattern is like. Put them on a flat surface and look at them from behind (so that you are looking at the back of the shoe). If it looks like your shoes are wearing down on the inside or they are twisting so that they are leaning towards the inside, chances are you are over-pronating. You will need to consider a support-running shoe, a type of shoe to help control this excessive over-pronation. If this is not the case, then you just might need a good shock absorption shoe as the impact of your running maybe what is causing the shin splnts.

In regards to stretching before and/or after running, this is open to debate. Experts are divided on this. I suggest definitely stretch after the run as your muscles are very warm and loose, but also to remove any lactic acid build up. But light stretching before the run is helpful (note the term, light stretching). I have done both and knock on wood, I have been running pain free now for 25 of 30 years.

Answer 2

Stop Shin Splints Forever?

Answer 3

It is you and the shoes and chances are you need new shoes to fix what is wrong with you. I used to get awful shin splints. Then I went to a running store and had the sales guy look at me run. He was able to tell me that I had an overpronation that caused the shin splints and he showed me shoes that would help with that. My shin splints were gone within days. Any reputable shoe store will be able to do the same for you. Make sure you go to a running store, and not just a shoe dept somewhere.

If you really can't get to a shoe store then don't run on concrete. If there is a track available then use that, otherwise run on dirt or on grass.

You should be replacing your running shoes every 400 or so miles of use. You can track this and your running progress on sites like coolrunning.com

Another guy wrote about stretching before and after you run, definitely stretch after you run but DO NOT stretch before you run. If you want to stretch early on, make sure you run a 10-15min warm up before stretching and then finish your run.

Answer 4

The primary reason why people get shin splints is because they do not stretch before and after their runs. Some very helpful stretches are described (with pictures) in the link below. I used to get terrible shin splints when I first started running, but I stopped getting them after I started doing those stretches, especially the first three. Other causes can include running on hard surfaces, running with a bad form (crashing down with every step) or wearing worn out shoes.

I know that it is very tempting to immediately blame the shoes. However, most running shoes out there are very good, and they rarely cause shin splints by themselves. It is always best to rule out other possible sources before going out and buying new shoes.

Answer 5

You shoul get new shoes every 3-400 miles. You could probably get shin splints no matter what shoes you have. Try Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Answer 6

When I was in the service, I had shin splints horribly bad.
Sit on the ground with your feet straight out in front of you. With your feet facing straight up, trace a big circle with you whole foot keeping your heel in place. If you have a partner, have them give a little resistance.
Good Luck!

Answer 7

http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/Forum36/HTML/001331.shtml

That lists some stretches, massage, strength training etc to try. Coolrunning is also great for any other running related questions.