Shin Splints--A Real Pain

     In the twelve or so years that I have been a runner, been around runners, coached runners, and paid attention to the sport of running, I have heard, seen, and experienced a lot of running-related injuries. However, no injury has been more prevalent than that of someone telling me they had to quit running or had to rest because of shin splints. I have never had shin splints (Knock on all the wood in The Smokey Mountains National Park), but have heard and seen how painful they are. I have seen them sideline even the hardiest of running folk. Shin splints can be a runner's worst nightmare.

     Whenever, I have a runner who gets shin splints or friend that has them, two questions always arise from our little conversations and they are: "How do I make the pain go away?", and, "How do I prevent this from ever happening again?". The answers are very simple, but many do not want to follow the advice given. So, this blog post will be some advice mixed in with all you have ever wanted to know about shins and shin splints for those who have never heard about them, for those who have heard about them, but wondered what they were, and those who lie awake at night trying to think of something else.

What is a shin?  

     Your leg is split into two main zones: the thigh and the shin. (I know it is much more complex, but we're keeping things simple.) Your thigh zone is on top and your shin zone is on the bottom. Shin splints occur in the shins. You can have them in both legs at the same time or you may only experience them in a single leg.

What exactly is a shin splint?

Shin splints is pain on the front of the lower leg below the knee and above the ankle. It can hurt over the shin-bone (tibia) or over the muscles on either side of the shinbone. Shin splints is also called shin pain.

Why am I getting shin splints?

   I hear this so often and the reasons are always the same. The usual cause is that the person went from doing no exercise or moving around to trying to make themselves run for miles and they usually do this on hard, concrete pavement. Well, here are some very common reasons why you are going through such pain:

1. Flat feet – most common cause under this category.
2. Over-pronation – generally a result of having flat feet; occurs when foot and ankle roll inward, causing a demanding stretch in the muscles of your lower legs.
3. Tight or stiff lower leg muscles.
4. Poor running form – leaning forward too much, leaning backwards too much, running with your toes pointed too far out, landing on the balls of your feet and not pushing off through your toes after each stride (too much ‘babying’ of the heel to toe transition).
5. Exercising on uneven surfaces.
6. Trying to do too much too soon.
7. Running, walking or exercising on hard surfaces too frequently.
8. Working out in inappropriate shoes or shoes that have lost their support/cushioning.
9. Too much uphill or downhill running.

How can I get rid of the pain?

  The easiest answer is to rest and ice your shins. You should ice them for 15 minute increments and then stretch slowly and easily. It would also help to wear compression socks or get them wrapped by a trainer. And you MUST take it easy.The biggest reason why you get shin splints is that most people ignore the importance of stretching before and after you walk or run. Remember also that it helps to stretch "warm" muscles. These can be acquired by doing a short warm up lap. And here is a diagram of some helpful stretches: 

   The biggest thing that I have learned over the years about injuries is that we all try to over do it everytime we walk out the door trying to maximize every workout. However, this is a terrible idea. Your body can really wear down overtime. Everytime you use new muscles or extend old ones, your muscle tissues acquire little tiny tears that take time to heal. A good workout schedule should include mostly easy days and even a full day off. To help you understand, Olympian Ryan Hall who holds the America record for the half marathon, usually runs races by keeping a 4:20-4:30 miles, but on his easy runs, he keeps the pace at 7:00-7:30. If you do the math, that means he is running a full three minutes slower or more! So, what does that say about your easy days. If an Olympian can take it easy, why can't we?

Hope this post was helpful and stay clear from the shin splints!

David