Shin Splint ~ OUCH!

CheriAnn

CheriAnn

Biker Chick
Okay, I have become a recent exercise junkie and learned a valuable lesson the hard way!!!!!!! You can NOT go from couch potato to exercise junkie in a week!!!! :doh:

I purchased a nice treadmill two weeks ago and have used it every single night. I make myself do at least 1 mile and some nights I have gone further. I have been increasing the speed each night and a few days ago started adding some incline. I was SO PROUD of myself....until last night.....OUCH!!!!

I got on the treadmill and this sharp burning pain shot straight up the front of my calves!!!!! Boy, it felt like I had JUST climbed a HUGE mountain!!!! I pushed myself, determined I would get my mile completed. It hurt so bad and I kept reducing the speed lower and lower, but had to give in...I only completed 1/2 mile and couldn't take anymore. I have been told I have shin splint.

So, has anybody else had this before? Do I have to stop exercising until it heals or can I exercise lightly? Any ideas how to help it heal? I have researched it on the internet, but see many different solutions, so I wanted to hear from someone first hand that has gone through this.....Thank you!!!!
 
mAlice

mAlice

professional daydreamer
CheriAnn said:
Okay, I have become a recent exercise junkie and learned a valuable lesson the hard way!!!!!!! You can NOT go from couch potato to exercise junkie in a week!!!! :doh:

I purchased a nice treadmill two weeks ago and have used it every single night. I make myself do at least 1 mile and some nights I have gone further. I have been increasing the speed each night and a few days ago started adding some incline. I was SO PROUD of myself....until last night.....OUCH!!!!

I got on the treadmill and this sharp burning pain shot straight up the front of my calves!!!!! Boy, it felt like I had JUST climbed a HUGE mountain!!!! I pushed myself, determined I would get my mile completed. It hurt so bad and I kept reducing the speed lower and lower, but had to give in...I only completed 1/2 mile and couldn't take anymore. I have been told I have shin splint.

So, has anybody else had this before? Do I have to stop exercising until it heals or can I exercise lightly? Any ideas how to help it heal? I have researched it on the internet, but see many different solutions, so I wanted to hear from someone first hand that has gone through this.....Thank you!!!!
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You're not warming up properly.
 
lovinmaryland

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
CheriAnn said:
Okay, I have become a recent exercise junkie and learned a valuable lesson the hard way!!!!!!! You can NOT go from couch potato to exercise junkie in a week!!!! :doh:

I purchased a nice treadmill two weeks ago and have used it every single night. I make myself do at least 1 mile and some nights I have gone further. I have been increasing the speed each night and a few days ago started adding some incline. I was SO PROUD of myself....until last night.....OUCH!!!!

I got on the treadmill and this sharp burning pain shot straight up the front of my calves!!!!! Boy, it felt like I had JUST climbed a HUGE mountain!!!! I pushed myself, determined I would get my mile completed. It hurt so bad and I kept reducing the speed lower and lower, but had to give in...I only completed 1/2 mile and couldn't take anymore. I have been told I have shin splint.

So, has anybody else had this before? Do I have to stop exercising until it heals or can I exercise lightly? Any ideas how to help it heal? I have researched it on the internet, but see many different solutions, so I wanted to hear from someone first hand that has gone through this.....Thank you!!!!
Click to expand...

No offense but are you over weight? Are you warming up before you start walking? It could be Lactic Acid :shrug:
 
V

vegmom

Bookseller Lady
smoothmarine187 said:
I had them bad when I first went to Boot camp. Just use Ice at night and make sure you stretch them out good before running.
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:yeahthat:

Try some ibuprofen or Aleve too. Warming up longer helps too. I get side of my foot pain that goes away after my first mile or so walking.
 
warneckutz

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
lovinmaryland said:
No offense but are you over weight? Are you warming up before you start walking? It could be Lactic Acid :shrug:
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Lactic Acid is a GOOD thing, for years it's been blamed for the pain felt : http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/h...tml?ex=1305432000&en=2778e99d7eab85a6&ei=5090

Lactic acid (lactate) is not:

* responsible for the burn in the leg muscles when exercising very fast

* responsible for the soreness you experience in the 48 hours following a hard session

* a waste product

I can't remember what they blame the soreness on these days, they have a term for it but it escapes me...
 
W

WhoCares

Guest
Before you start to run or walk fast warm up for 5 minutes with no incline. Start at 3.0 mph, and work up to 4.0 at the walk. Your muscles are cold and need to warm up. The walk will get them ready. After the 5 minutes you can do what you want to.

Also check your shoes. I know when my sneakers are ready to be retired from the gym I will start getting shin splints. Invest in some proper sneakers for exercise.
 
SamSpade

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
When I ran cross country, there were two recommendations : one was a long warmup of stretching, followed by a short run to get muscles ready.

But the main thing to do was to run properly, and this took some getting used to - most runners who take it up for the first time run the way they've always run growing up - long strides, landing on the heels, a lotta pavement slapping. This shocks the muscles and injures them.

Our coach told us "heel and toe, heel and toe". You take shorter strides and roll over your foot - so that when you run, it should sound fairly quiet. Your step should start softly with the heel, and roll down to the ball of the foot. Secondly, beginning runners tend to run on their balls of their feet and overuse calve muscles and underuse the quads. We were told to use them interchangeably - calves sometimes, quads others - use different muscles as you run.

God this was so long ago - but my first few weeks of cross country were brutal. I can't believe we ran over 12 miles every single day.
 
V

vegmom

Bookseller Lady
nomoney said:
make sure you're running right to. Heal -toe
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Actually heal striking is not a good idea for running because it causes a "braking" motion and sends the shock right up your leg rather than make use of the natural springs that are our feet.

Running or walking on a treadmill is actually more dificult because you are working against the motion of the belt. Its nice and cushioned though compared to pavement.
 
Toxick

Toxick

Splat
warneckutz said:
I can't remember what they blame the soreness on these days, they have a term for it but it escapes me...
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The soreness comes from nerve irritation which is caused by lowering the pH in exercised muscles. This change in the pH comes from increased metabolic waste products accumulated in the exercised muscle.

The term you might be thinking of is the Krebs Cycle, where chemical reactions of this cycle result in these metabolic byproducts.

Nerve irritation = burning sensation = "lactic acid burn".


FEEL THE BURN BABY!
 
donbarzini

donbarzini

Well-Known Member
Stretching exercise for shin splints:

Stand a little more than arms-length from wall. Place your hands on the wall and turn your feet inward so your toes are facing each other. Then do slow push-ups against the wall. If you don't feel the stretch in your shins, move your feet further from the wall until you do.
 
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Vince

Vince

......
WhoCares said:
Before you start to run or walk fast warm up for 5 minutes with no incline. Start at 3.0 mph, and work up to 4.0 at the walk. Your muscles are cold and need to warm up. The walk will get them ready. After the 5 minutes you can do what you want to.

Also check your shoes. I know when my sneakers are ready to be retired from the gym I will start getting shin splints. Invest in some proper sneakers for exercise.
Click to expand...
:yeahthat: Also, drink water to keep the muscles well hydrated. Don't run everyday. Vary your routine. Run every other day and some other form of exercise in between. Recommend light weight lifting to start and some ab work. Always work the abs.
 
lovinmaryland

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
warneckutz said:
Lactic Acid is a GOOD thing, for years it's been blamed for the pain felt : http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/h...tml?ex=1305432000&en=2778e99d7eab85a6&ei=5090

Lactic acid (lactate) is not:

* responsible for the burn in the leg muscles when exercising very fast

* responsible for the soreness you experience in the 48 hours following a hard session

* a waste product

I can't remember what they blame the soreness on these days, they have a term for it but it escapes me...
Click to expand...

So my spinning instructor lied to me :drama:
 
LordStanley

LordStanley

I know nothing
smoothmarine187 said:
:roflmao: Now you having me thinking about "Clubfoot" going for a jog, running down the street looking like Fred Flintstone :lol:
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hey hey hey.... you making fun of me?.... Id rather have a shin splint than torn ligiments anyday
 
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