Shin splints

[emmie31]

Hello, was wondering if anyone has or has had shin splints, my exercise routine was going so well and started seeing the results, and now I have got sore shins.. does anyone know if there's something I can do/wear so I can continue to exercise, I really dont want to take the rest option if at all possible..

Any advice would be great

[Steala]

I get them a lot and they once developed into a stress fracture. Be careful! Try getting a gait analysis so that you have the best sort of trainers for you.

[emmie31]

ouch that sounds awful, thanks for the quick response

[cremeeggsbenedict]

Shin splints can be caused by a number of things - stress fracture being the most serious, but it could be something like compartment syndrome or inflammation in your tibialis anterior (the muscle that runs down the front of your shin).

How have you changed your exercise routine, and what are you doing at present? It can be that you've increased something like running too quickly (speed or distance) or that your trainers are past their best and are now not supporting and cushioning you as they should. It might be worth seeing a professional - a sports massage therapist or physio to get it checked out as nothing more serious or a muscle imbalance that is putting more strain than necessary on your shins.

In the meantime rest is the best advice (but I think you know this). Have you applied ice to the painful area? About 5-10 minutes with a packet of frozen peas every two hours or so should help reduce the discomfort. You can continue exercising, but avoid things that put stress through the shin (so no running and little weight bearing to start with). Something like swimming is ideal to start with as it is entirely non-weight bearing and will allow you to maintain your cardio fitness and get some calorie burn.

[emmie31]

Thank you cremeegg, it was the body attack that did it, all the other aerobics and body pump, zumba etc were fine, but I have noticed I have a bad problem of running on my toes, and also thinking my sports direct trainers were probably not a good idea after what steala said. I'll go and pop some peas on my legs now while the kids watch cbeebies. Luckily it just feels a bit bruised today and that's because I went to Zumba last night (minus the jumping and running) if I hadn't done that then I'd probably be pain free so guessing I've not got them too bad. I think you're right and I'll just stick to swimming a body pump for a while. ( oh and maybe invest in some better trainers )

[fastweb]

I got shin splints very quickly after I first started running.

Rest really is the only way, I tried to avoid it and made it far worse and ended up having to wait far longer to start all over again.

New proper trainers for the job and not going hell for leather right from the start stopped a reoccurance.

It hurt so much, and was sooooooo frustrating.

[emmie31]

frustrated is definately how I feel, I'd so got my exercise mojo back and really dont want to get back to my old lazy habits... but really dont want it to get worse so it'll be swimming for me for a while. Thanks everyone for your responses have been asking everyone I know if they knew anything about shin spints and not one person had, had them..... why didn't I think of Mumsnet earlier?

[emmie31]

The peas have worked!!!!!!

[fairydoll]

Ice and ibubrofen.

[cremeeggsbenedict]

Glad they did! It's probably best to keep them as injury peas now and not eat them. We have a bag in our freezer with coloured tape round them so we know they've been defrosted/refrozen a zillion or so times. I love my injury peas!

[emmie31]

Injury peas now back in freezer!!!