What can help fix shin splints?

[MainFramed]

I've been running alot lately and doing a ton of up hill sprints. And i just always have shin splints (i think? {the pain in between my calf and shin right?})

How can i fix this, can i?

</MainFramed>

 

[jessicak]

yeah, find someone who knows how to wrap them up. You'll look funny, but it works wonders (I had shin splints for about a year when I was in high school running cross country).

 

[AndrewR]

If you don't rest them and let them heal, they won't. Anything else is just masking the problem. Stop running and try biking.

 

[blackdogdeek]

when we got shin splints we had to train on softer surfaces instead for a while. so no road runs, only dirt or grass.

 

[jessicak]

oh yeah, I forgot. Try icing them for about 15 minutes each day...that helps too.

 

[Qwest]

whirlpool full of ice will temp ease the pain.

 

[Ns1]

advil and/or marijuana

 

[shilala]

Over the years, I eventually got used to it. The only time it brought me to tears was when someone kicked me in the shin.
The key appears to be staying off hard surfaces. You'll need to let them heal, first. It took mine about three years.

 

[MainFramed]

thanks guys

 

[NoToRiOuS1]

back in my track days, i use to ice it for like 15-30 minutes. sometimes used icy hot. and like jessicak said bandage it up. if its really bad, you should opt for some anti-inflammatory meds.
i use to run 36 miles a day(that includes the warmups and everything of both early morning and evening practice). dear god i remember the shin splits and even worse...STRESS FRACTURES..in my first year...absolutely horrible but well worth it when we made it to the penn relays and met michael johnson, maurice green and marion jones!

oh but all those things that i mentioned in no way will make it all go away. if you haven't been running at all and then if you start doing a lot of it all of a sudden then this problem will persist for a long time. if the splits get really bad and you notice stress fractures then slow down a bit with the regiment and rest your legs a bit more. and one of THE most important things is to stretch REALLY well before doing any running. break up your regiment into 15-75-10 of warmup-training-cooldown period. at least this is what i used...you can and should vary yours based on what works for you...but the point is not to skimp out on the warm up part...its very important.
sorry if im just telling you things you already know...but still...figured id let you know just in case.
hope this helps!

edit: lol looks like ppl already suggested most of the things i did. got a little sidetracked so by the time i posted i didn't bother refreshing to see the additional respones in this thread. sorry for the repost of info!

 

[vi edit]

One very simple, but effective exercise to help stave them off is to do this before and after each run:

All you have to do is just keep your heel firmly planted on the ground and just tap your foot as fast and long as you can until your entire shin feels like it's on fire. Switch to the other leg and repeat. Do 2 sets on each foot before and after your workouts.

This was a trick that my college cross country coach taught us. It's simple, but it works very well.

 

[Looney]

Rest, and continue exercising, and they'll eventually go away. I use to get shin splints too, but not any more.

 

[Accipiter22]

walk backwards afterwards...i'm serious.


basically they're from an imbalance in the strength of the muscle along the front of the shin and the calf. It puts stress on your shin bone. Be careful, those can turn into stress fractures really easily, so you may want to rest for a little bit.

 

[SWScorch]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
One very simple, but effective exercise to help stave them off is to do this before and after each run:

All you have to do is just keep your heel firmly planted on the ground and just tap your foot as fast and long as you can until your entire shin feels like it's on fire. Switch to the other leg and repeat. Do 2 sets on each foot before and after your workouts.

This was a trick that my college cross country coach taught us. It's simple, but it works very well.

Very good advice. I discovered this trick on accident while I was air drumming to an Emperor song. I was mimicking the double bass and found that I could really feel the burn in my shins. It really strengthens those muscles.

As others have said, rest, ice them, take some NCAIDs (ibuprofen) and do some strengthening exercises like the one above. Don't keep running on them or you could do what I did and get a stress fracture. Believe me, that sucks.

 

[erikiksaz]

I third vi_edit's advice. In addition to that, run on soft surfaces.

 

[bradruth]

Compression sleeves.