-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Possible Shin splints or poor running technique?
- Thread starter Delta
- Start date
Best at home method for determining your gait and the type of shoe you need.
http://www.runnersworld.ltd.uk/foottype.htm
http://www.runnersworld.ltd.uk/foottype.htm
HIPCHIP
New Member
"Shin Splints" is a generic term for any lower leg pain, so it could be several things. The most common is a weak tib. anterior where the muscle is pulling away from the bone, but it could be other things too. If you can, go see your doctor and see if you can talk to a physical therapist and get evaluated. If available, go to the local high school or college and see if the athletic trainer will evaluate you.
Make sure your shoes are the proper ones for your feet. If you pronate or there are other problems then you may need orthotic inserts to correct your stance. A good running store should be able to evaluate your walking and your shoes.
In general, you want to strengthen all the muscles of the lower leg. Get a bicycle tire tube and put it under something heavy and the put one end around your foot. You want to move your foot in all four directions, down-up, turned in, and turned out, against the resistance of the tube. Use a light tube and change the amount of resistance. Try for 3 sets of 10.
Make sure you do good stretching of the area before you start your run. Try and stretch in the same four directions up, down, in and out, also do circle left and circle right. If you can, put your legs in warm water for 20 minutes before you start, this will also help to relax the muscles and make for a better stretch. Also, massage the area to get it to losen up before you run. Do a nice easy run to allow your legs to warm up, then stop and stretch again.
When you are done running, stretch again, and get some ice bags and strap them on for 20 minutes, no more. If you can, get some paper or foam cups and fill them with water and put them in the freezer. Pull out a frozen cup, tear off some paper/foam exposing the ice, make sure there are no sharp areas, and do an ice massage. Start at the botton and work your way up, then go lightly back down, the hard up again. Also no more than 20 minutes (only do one or the other, never more than 20 minutes of icing, then at least 40 minutes off to allow the area to warm up).
This will help to stretch and strengthen the musculature, reduce swelling, and allow everything to get stronger. It will take several weeks for the muscles to get stronger and the pain to start going away, but it will happen.
This is a very simplistic and basic program. If you can be evaluated by an physical therapist, or an athletic trainer, then you can get more specific, but this should get you going in the right direction.
Make sure your shoes are the proper ones for your feet. If you pronate or there are other problems then you may need orthotic inserts to correct your stance. A good running store should be able to evaluate your walking and your shoes.
In general, you want to strengthen all the muscles of the lower leg. Get a bicycle tire tube and put it under something heavy and the put one end around your foot. You want to move your foot in all four directions, down-up, turned in, and turned out, against the resistance of the tube. Use a light tube and change the amount of resistance. Try for 3 sets of 10.
Make sure you do good stretching of the area before you start your run. Try and stretch in the same four directions up, down, in and out, also do circle left and circle right. If you can, put your legs in warm water for 20 minutes before you start, this will also help to relax the muscles and make for a better stretch. Also, massage the area to get it to losen up before you run. Do a nice easy run to allow your legs to warm up, then stop and stretch again.
When you are done running, stretch again, and get some ice bags and strap them on for 20 minutes, no more. If you can, get some paper or foam cups and fill them with water and put them in the freezer. Pull out a frozen cup, tear off some paper/foam exposing the ice, make sure there are no sharp areas, and do an ice massage. Start at the botton and work your way up, then go lightly back down, the hard up again. Also no more than 20 minutes (only do one or the other, never more than 20 minutes of icing, then at least 40 minutes off to allow the area to warm up).
This will help to stretch and strengthen the musculature, reduce swelling, and allow everything to get stronger. It will take several weeks for the muscles to get stronger and the pain to start going away, but it will happen.
This is a very simplistic and basic program. If you can be evaluated by an physical therapist, or an athletic trainer, then you can get more specific, but this should get you going in the right direction.
Something to consider are insoles for your shoes, they provide more support and are better tailored to your feet. I use superfeet (www.superfeet.com) and have never had problems.
Future SWO?
Final Select SWO 1/25 OCS date 6/14/08
Any respectable running store will fit you for the correct shoe at no extra cost. Many of them even do a computerized analysis of your feet to make sure you are in the correct shoe. I am currently a tri-athlete, and I can't even begin to tell you what a diffrence the correct running shoe makes. It can help you prevent injuries, as well as allow you to run for longer distance w/o tiring your legs out as quickly.