The Little Things
February 11, 2012

I’m fairly sure that I’m getting the dreaded shin splints. I’ve tried to do everything right, but, you know, sometimes things just happen. i really haven’t increased my mileage too much or too quickly, and I always foam roll, stretch, and ice after runs. I went on a 2 mile run on Tuesday that was absolutely fantastic, and that was the last time I worked out. After 5 weeks of working out 4-5 times a week, I did almost nothing. I thought I would still bike so that I still got cardio, but at the same time my shins started hurting I got this nasty cold that has left me coughing frequently, I almost completely lost my voice for a few days, and a sore throat. So, while I was disappointed to do this, I decided to listen to my body and take the week off.

In reality, this was pretty good timing, as this was a drop down week in my training schedule, meaning I only had 2 2-mile runs and 1 3-mile run scheduled. Because of this, I at least don’t feel like I’m missing much of anything important.

I think I caught them right at the beginning, because after 1 day of rest I stopped feeling them as I was walking around. I’ve iced 3-4 times a day, worn compression socks in the evening, and sat with my leg elevated. I haven’t had any pain in my shin for a number of days now, but obviously don’t want to start running again too quickly and aggravate them further.

For those of you who’ve experienced shin splints at some point: What’s one of your favorite things to do to help heal shin splints? How long of a break would you take if you were in my position? 

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One response to “Dreaded Shin Splints”

  1. Heather says:
    February 14, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    Shins splints are terrible! The first thing to check is your feet. Do you have good shoes that fit properly? Are your arches properly supported? Secondly, check your form. I noticed my right foot was turned out as I was running. Incidentally, that’s the shin I have problems with. Since I’ve been paying attention to my form more, I’ve noticed a lot less pain.

    As far as recovery goes, I’ve had some good luck with KT Tape. If you try it, make sure you follow the instructions exactly as they are written, especially the part about applying the tape an hour before you run. It’ll stay on much better that way. Also, I love compression socks. They can even be worn with the KT Tape. The downside is that they are a little pricey.

    Finally, here’s a site that has some great stretches and physical therapy information for various injuries, including shin splints. It’s amazing. http://www.mobilitywod.com/

    Good luck!