Shin Splits

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Discussion

Renn Sport

Original Poster:

2,761 posts

208 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Hi chaps,

So I work further away from home so riding my bicycle to work and back is not really viable.

As I am not getting enough excersise in the week I have decided to start running at lunchtiime for 45minutes.

I actually like running but I keep getting really painful shin splints. I am running in New Balance trainers which I bought from a running shop after they had looked at the way I run.

Am I getting the Shin Splints ecause of my exceptionally poor technique or could it be something else?

Foliage

3,861 posts

121 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Is this the first time you've run?

Are you doing a programme to get you started (couch to 5km)?

If you are just going out and running without warming up (I do a brisk walk but others stretch) then you are going to have aches and pains (you will have aches anyway as with any exercise) Its unlikely its shin splits its more likely the tendons in your shins not being used to the range of movement and impact of running.

Id highly recommend you do couch to 5km if you've not run before.

Edited by Foliage on Wednesday 23 July 14:07

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Mmm. I suspect you've gone into it too eagerly. It's also possible you've got muscle imbalances in your legs.

Don't push through the pain. Slap anyone who tells you to do so. Extreme shin splints can require an operation to fix.

http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-informati...

When you're better, you can warm up the shin muscles by doing the following exercise.
-adopt a warrior pose http://www.vidavibrante.com/wp-content/uploads/201... (just the legs, not the arms.)
-with the leg that's bent try to raise the toes off the ground - it's quite tough; probably painful if you do it while the shins already hurt so don't do it now
-repeat a few times until you feel muscle "pump"
-switch legs

You really need to do this several times a week to build up shin strength if you are prone to suffering from shin splints.

IANAD if your head falls off or your investments tank then I cannot be held responsible.

Renn Sport

Original Poster:

2,761 posts

208 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys... I am trying perhaps too hard but its very demoralising that I can run.

One thing I recognise is that my leg muscles are quite under developed. I get knee pain at time however when I used to cycle regularly the muscles really built up and I experienced no knee pain at all.

I'll try the exercises.

Haven't been cycling since November since I moved job. I have lot a fair amount of leg muscle and strength.

I don’t understand the term couch to 5km?! Does that refer to being sedentary to being active?

budgie smuggler

5,359 posts

158 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
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I 90% cured mine by changing to much shorter less bouncy strides. I think I was using my heel to decelerate my body having taken too large of a step. My new running style is something a bit more like the pose method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN1x3Ik1t5Y

I think my last 10% is from being cycling fit (so decent at general cardio) but not having the leg muscles in place yet (or cycling is still throwing them out of whack somehow).

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
budgie smuggler said:
I think I was using my heel to decelerate my body having taken too large of a step.
Yep, as I understand the mechanics of it, you use the muscles running down the front of the shin to decelerate and if you go from nothing to regular intense usage of that area, it's gonna start complaining. I can happily sprint across a court but always wince when I have to decelerate hard and change direction.

blindswelledrat

25,257 posts

231 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Renn Sport said:
I don’t understand the term couch to 5km?! Does that refer to being sedentary to being active?
It is a process by which someone who has never run can get to running 5k within 5 weeks. You can google it.
If you have done a fair bit of cycling in the past couple of years it doesn't really apply (although the general principles of not trying too hard are definitely applicable)

Im in a similar position to you but a few weeks ahead of you and the best thing I did in all of it was to stop trying so hard.
Try and run a fair distance but really slowly and with small, girly steps. Doesn't do your ego much good but it makes it so much more tolerable and and in my experience you improve at a much quicker rate remaining comfortable than pushing yourself as hard as possible and then hating it and having to stop all the time due to pain and knackeredness.

Renn Sport

Original Poster:

2,761 posts

208 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys...


Foliage

3,861 posts

121 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Renn Sport said:
I don’t understand the term couch to 5km?! Does that refer to being sedentary to being active?
Couch to 5km is a 9 week program of going from not ever running to running 5km, its either available as a smartphone app or as mp3 files that you listen to while you run, you do 3 runs a week, its intermittent training so you run and walk during the training session, the woman on the app/mp3 tells you when to run/walk, its a great way of gradually getting your body used to running.

I did exactly the same as you when I started running again in 2012, just went out and ran, I had terrible shin pain, and ended up having an old ankle injury flare up so had to stop. In 2013 I started to do a lot more hill walking etc but this year I didn't have the time to do that and one of my friends suggested couch to 5km, I found it easy for the first 6 weeks as I was pretty fit anyway but the program pushed me past that point.