Shin splints

[Freeze13]

Hello Marines, ive been hitting the pavement hard the last week. Running, walking and whatever else I can do to get in shape.Well an old foe has raised its head again. If anyone reading this has ever had to deal with shin splints you know they hurt like h*ll and they slow you down a'lot. I need to know a few things,(#1)will they DQ me at meps? More importantly, how can I heal my shins quickly and prevent this from occurring again? Finally, are special boot inserts give out to recruits who request/need them?

[Lisa 23]

Use the search bar..........this topic has been covered before.

Shin Splints!!!
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85606&highlight=shin+splints&page=2

Frustrations with shin splints
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83174&highlight=shin+splints

Shin Splints
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67072&highlight=shin+splints&page=2

[Freeze13]

Haha, thanks WMarine I finally found the search bar! Im on a laptop and I allways scroll down so I was like what the heck...wheres this search bar. Thanks again! By the way your almost at 1000 posts!!!

[polizei]

Well, I never had splints before I joined the Corps, because I never ran. I got them 3-4 times in boot camp, but the only thing you can do is work through them. Yes they hurt, but they're not that bad. Now...MP school, totally different! We were running 5-6 miles 3-4 times a week...I had the WORST shin splints I've ever had, as well as almost everyone else in my platoon, including the instructors. And guess what we did, continued to run!

Best thing you can do is just stay off your feet as much as you can and rest them, let them heal. Running is a gradual increase, anything else will just lead to injuries. I wish someone would have told me that...

[sparkie]

Put ice on your shins,,,,, and by the way,,,Congrats WMarine,,,,,1000 lost minutes of life.

[Lisa 23]

and by the way,,,Congrats WMarine,,,,,1000 lost minutes of life.
Wow...I just noticed, LOL. And Thank You!

[Freeze13]

Everybody Ive talked to says "ICE". But I don't have swelling, or pain after I run. Its only while i'm on a run that I feel the effects. So is the ice just a way to reverse the inflammation? Also are you allowed to bring anti-inflammatory medicine to BC?

[hussaf]

Best cure I've used for shin splints is rubbing a smooth part of a rock against against them...kind of on the inside blade of the shin. It's like magic.

[NoRemorse]

RICE them, doesn't matter if they only hurt when you're running.

Also, don't stop running unless the pain is intense. Your body has to adapt which means you have to put it under more stress which means don't stop running or you're going to prolong the issue.

a warm rock works real nice. You can also use a wooden dowl, stick, pvc pipe, rolling pin, whatever. As long as it's got some flex and has a smooth rounded surface. Roll it up and down your shins. Find a particularly painful spot, put as much pressure on it as you can with the stick and then roll over it in one inch increments 20-30 times.

This helps to massage the soft tissue there and get blood flowing. Read the other threads mentioned above and keep stretching post-run.

[Quinbo]

Shin splints is actually a muscle seperation and tearing from the shin. Continued sucking it up will increase the damage and may well lead to stress fractures in your tibia from no muscular support.

If they are repeated and not going away after applying RICE then you need to have a look at your footwear and even your running style. If you are running like a lumbering wounded duck wearing scuba fins that could be part of the problem. Back off the sprints, don't wear boots when running, think about placing the ball of your foot on the ground before your heel each and every step.

[Freeze13]

I think my problem is, well a number of things starting with my weight(200pnds) aswell as my flat feet in k-swiss running shoes. What shoes are issued at BC?

[NoRemorse]

I'd imagine we still have a contract with New Balance.

Yeah, you could have multiple issues which is why most recommend you stretch. If your arch sucks that bad then perhaps you could get it assessed by a sports doc. It's not easy to diagnose or describe different progressions of stretches and exercises online...

[hussaf]

Guy,

You are apparently a walking 'don't do' list of running. Bulk and No Remorse know what they are talking about..listen to their advice.

If you are heavy...regardless if your a fatty or not...you especially need to get the right shoes. Same goes for flat feet. Flat feet is possibly worse 'cause the combination of weight and flat feet will get you stress fractures.

Check this out: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319--4615-0,00.html

This will show you the types of shoes out there. Even some PX's have shoes separated in these categories (motion control, performance, stability, etc.)

Flat feet guys often have to get lifts...they can be expensive and I don't know if you are allowed to have them in boot camp.

notes:
Running on hard surfaces will give you shin splints. Sidewalk/concrete is one of the hardest....then road surfaces (a little softer), with packed dirt/trails being the best.

Frequently changing surfaces (hard to soft to hard, etc) during a run will increase the chances of getting shin splints.

Good luck with your training. Give it a few months, and you will make progress fast.

[Freeze13]

Thanks Marines. I'm icing now. And I went through my closet and found a old pair of running shoes that have more cushion and more arch support. I just got done with a workout inside, and I didn't have much pain while I was running in place.(I tried jump jacks, and that hurt real bad so I stopped) Ill invest in a new pair of even better shoes after I've done my research on them.:thumbup:

Oh yeah, instead of high impact exercise, I did more core work today. Tried to stay off my feet as much as possible to let this heal, while still keeping up the fitness training.

[Supersquishy]

Thanks Marines. I'm icing now. And I went through my closet and found a old pair of running shoes that have more cushion and more arch support.

Not to nit pick but you should go buy a new pair a running shoes, they do wear out after a few hundred miles even if they look new still. That is advice given from professional long distance runners. Buy a good quality RUNNING shoe.

[polizei]

A big thing is weight! The difference between a "normal" shoe and a light-weight running shoe is very impressive. So don't think a good running shoe is a basketball shoe. Totally different.