How long do shin splints last?

[Na1play]

I'm a larger lady that tried out running. I thought I should start while it was still dark outside and no one could laugh as much! Was going well for a couple of weeks, I was doing the couch to 5k thingy on my phone.
My legs started to hurt but I put that down to moving from the road to the treadmill at the gym so I ran through the pain. I obviously realised very quickly I'd done something idiotic! I couldn't even walk up the stairs for 2 weeks and googling revealed I'd most likely given myself shin splints. Have done ice and ibuprofen and the pain has lessened somewhat.

It's been 3 weeks in total and I've not even walked the dog! (I would like to point out my hubby has walked the dog, its not like I've neglected him).
It really hurts my ankle to put any pressure on it, especially coming down the stairs and if I've been out shopping, my legs hurt just as much as they did 3 weeks ago. I have been using the bike at the gym as this doesn't hurt and helps me maintain the fitness Level I'd built up whilst running.

Has anyone got any ideas how long these things usually last or if I should be doing something else to help myself? I really would like to stop coming down the stairs on my bottom!

It may not be shin splints if the pain is in your ankle, so it might be best to go to your GP. If you get no joy there, a sports physio would be able to advise.

After I started c25k I had sore knees and shins. I think it was shin splints and used Nurofen every day to cope! Really hurt. Was ok after 2 weeks and am running again. I think if you are still not ok after 3 weeks maybe see the GP but I suspect they will just say don't run then! Maybe a physio.

Thanks guys, the gp phoned me today and advised to keep going with ibuprofen and call again I in a couple of weeks if it's not any better to maybe see a physio.

when you switched to a treadmill, did you put it in an incline or run flat? i got shin splints when running flat - this time round (few years later) i put an incline of 2 or 2.5% and so far so good.

I would see a Physio sooner rather than later as if you are compensating using other parts of your body / muscles it can lead to other issues arising.

Worth the money in my experience and time to get back to training reduced.

Hi Velma, I didn't use an incline so that may have contributed.
Leadrightfoot, I may have to see a physio as I tried a dog walk yesterday and my ankle flared up, making it painful to walk! Bummer.

It depends on what's causing it - shin splints is a catch all term like headache, it could be cause by all manner of things.

I'd be concerned about pain lasting a couple of weeks though - it's probably time to see a Physio or sports massage therapist to get it looked at.

Did you get proper shoes for running? With a gait analysis? If not it may be a way to prevent the issue reoccurring.

Pain in ankle doesn't sound like shin splints to me - I thought splints was pain all the way down the front of your leg from knee to ankle?

these excerises sorted my shin splints - I started sitting, no weight on my legs, and could only do one or two initially. I now do them as often as I do pelvic floor excerises (ie as often as I remember) in order to prevent them.

I agree several weeks in, you should see someone sooner rather than later.

I have the same problem. I've been in agony with the one ankle and the physio I saw said I'd probably damaged my tendons. Now the other one seems to be flaring up in sympathy. Mine started on 2nd of February and is no better really.

I agree,it sounds like something other than shin splints if it's ankle - shin splints is normally down the front of the leg, feeling as if the shin is splintering

I agree with others - I don't think it is shin splints either (dd is a ballet dancer and has a couple of friends who have had recurring shin splints, it's quite common in dancers).

You really do need it checked out, because if you have damaged something, it's not going to go away, and may only get worse - you could then end up with a chronic injury that keeps recurring.

Thanks for all of your replies. It's feeling a little better this weekend but I will be seeing a sports therapist. I've been having a lot more fun at the gym on other non impact equipment so I'm not going to go back to running. If I did, I would definitely visit a specialist shoe shop that does the gait analysis.