Shin splints

[adamsky]

Hi all, I've started running to keep fit and lose some of my beer belly! Done my first 10k on sat! Well done me! Lol anyway I'm suffering from sore shins, can anybody tell me how I can help this? I'm really getting into this but don't want to do myself any harm

Cheers Adam

[Eighty88]

Have you had your gait analysed? if so, or you already have a pair of trainers how old are they? do you over or under pronate and finally are you stretching your calf muscles correctly?

[sawman]

Eighty88 said:

finally are you stretching your calf muscles correctly?

especially this^^

[frontbum]

I cured mine completely by altering my stride to be much faster and shorter. My foot was landing far out in front of my body, now it is much more underneath me.
Took a while to get used to, but the pain is all gone and running seems much more efficient.

[toddler]

frontbum said:

I cured mine completely by altering my stride to be much faster and shorter. My foot was landing far out in front of my body, now it is much more underneath me.
Took a while to get used to, but the pain is all gone and running seems much more efficient.

This worked for me too.

[V-spec]

Worked for me too. Google "pose running", and watch the videos on youtube.

Stetching, stretching and more stretching. Even on non-running days. The one that I find works the best when I feel shin splints coming on is called a "Standing Soleus Calf Stretch".

Finally, ice (frozen peas) immediatly after running (and stretching), elevation, and nurofen if it's really bad to control swelling.

Finally, gait analysis to make sure you've got the right shoes.

[adamsky]

Thanks for the replys, got running shoes but they are prob on the cheap side so found my nearest running shop, should get in, in a couple of weeks. Been watching all the videos last night on stretching, so I'll be doing alot more of that. Next will be the length of my stride.
It's not sore enough for me to stop running so should I stop intill the pain is away?
Cheers Adam

[sevros1981]

Sometimes stretching too much can be a cause - try jogging at a very slow pace for a couple of minutes before your stretches. Over-stretching the calf muscle in particular is a way of knacking your shins.

[adamsky]

To be honest I haven't been stretching that much as I was told all you need to do is start jogging slow?
Adam