Shin Splints

[Smitty Puffs]

The shin splints use to bother me for a long time when I played football. Until recently I havent had a problem with them. I run about 3-4 times a week and last week I put it off because I wasnt running with the proper foot wear and they were starting to bother me again. Now its 2 days before I leave for the hotel and then the Island and I want to get some running in. I still dont have the right running shoes but I feel unprepared if I dont run for an extended amount of time. Should I just say screw it and hold off on the running till im at boot camp and have the right footwear or would running be harmless? Im pretty sure I already know the answer, but I feel like if I dont at least ask im just using it as an excuse to be lazy and not run.

[Allen870922]

I say that if you do run just make sure you take the time to be completely stretched out.

[OB MSG]

If you don't have the proper footwear to get in a good run you could always walk. But if you're this close to shipping then don't screw yourself up. A day or two of not running after having gone through a rigorous program is not going to hurt you.

If you really need to run, then have your folks get you an early grad present and then go run.

[Phantom Blooper]

Stretch them out.....do some heel walks...and don't run for a few days as SSGT OB MSG said. I was told years ago to buy New Balance
running shoes for arch support. I imagine any good running shoe will help!

[HN Mullins]

Smitty, do as the Staff Sargent advised you to do and there should be no problem. You really do not want to do any known harm to yourself when you only have a few day prior to leaving, I'm sure anything you have lost over the last couple weeks the nice gentlemen at PI will help you find!!! Good luck, Fair Winds and Following Seas


Doc Mullins

[OB MSG]

There will be running...oh yes, there will be! (In my best sinister Yoda voice)

[Old Marine]

The strangest thing that I remember when I was a Recruit is that we never wore tennis shoes and were issued one pair of Boondockers and one pair of Combat Boots (Rough Leather). We wor them to the shower and broke down the heel with our scrub brush. No one had Shin Splints and we never had a crutch brigade tagging along at the rear of the platoon. We had a few heel contusions, but they were mild. Back then the D.I. always wanted to hear the heels pop and would always yell if we were not digging them in. Maybe the kids are in bad shape these days, since most have vehicles and never have to walk anywhere and abuse their little tootsies. Maybe the boots that are issued these days are not the quality we were issued. I say lose the tennis shoes.

[bbond007]

ICE 2 times every 2 hours, them rub the shine splints out it will hurt but do it ... AND REST

[pffan021]

The best thing for shin splints is rest. Also, freeze water in a styrofoam cup and peel away the styrofoam. Just rub the ice block up and down your legs. I wouldn't run any because you'll need to be nice and rested before you get there. Worst way to start out is to start out hurt. Good luck.

[Backblast]

The best thing for shin splints is rest. Also, freeze water in a styrofoam cup and peel away the styrofoam. Just rub the ice block up and down your legs. I wouldn't run any because you'll need to be nice and rested before you get there. Worst way to start out is to start out hurt. Good luck.

A Corpsman would prescribe 1000mg of Motrin and some light duty in addition to what was already mentioned. I say put your feet up for awhile and focus on something else. Swimming might be a good activity if shin splints are bothering you right now. Besides I find swimming to be a far better cardio workout than running.

[ltmebecrewchief]

Try to stay off them. When i went to boot (about a year and a half ago) most of the recruits (including me) got shin splints. I think it had alot to do with running in boots and driving those heels into the deck during drill. But hey we won final drill. Some recruits even got so bad that their splints turned into stress fractures, then they get dropped. So I, and many others, just picked up a straw and sucked it up for the remainder of boot. there wasnt anything going to keep me on the depot any longer than i had to be. But just take care of them as often as you can. Stretching and icing are your best friends

[xpaz]

What everyone else said ^

RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

Don't mess with them before you leave, but take care of them. Do some foot drills twice a day -- do them at Boot Camp if you can as well. They may seem silly, but I and several others I know, can attest to their effectiveness if done routinely. They may not be much, but they DO help.

In the future if shin splints bother you (you won't have this luxury in Boot Camp, but later on maybe), you may want to investigate running more on the forefoot (the ball of the foot, to be more precise) in shoes with little-to-no heel. It's a bit complicated to explain in its entirety here, but it's more along the lines of how nature intended humans to run before there were fancy New Balance running shoes Personally I had nearly crippling shin splints for a long time, and after switching running styles/strides, they pretty much vanished into thin air.

So take care of your feet, don't alter your routine much at this point, and best of luck when you ship!

[Reagan]

I find that doing heel-walks anytime you can helps me a lot. Like if I'm just walking to the bathroom, kitchen, getting the mail or paper.. Just heel-walk it. Don't forget to stretch your calves and stuff though. I give them extra stretching attention before and after I run. I've been doing 1.5 mile runs uphill and so far haven't gotten any shin splints.. But then again 1.5 miles isn't that much. Though I have been wearing boots since I was in like 8th grade, which might've toughened my lower legs some. Guess we'll see if it helped when I get to bootcamp :P

[Backblast]

Oh lastly...get used to them. You will feel pain in your legs, knees and ankles throughout your enlistment. Especially if your a grunt. I am now with First Civ Div at Camp Couch but everytime I get up out of a chair, you can hear snap, crackle and pop from my joints. I am 28 but I sound like an 85 year old man getting up out of bed.

[Quinbo]

Still in the civilian side of the house and can pick and choose your PT regime? Choose the pool. Stretch out and warm up before hand then spend an hour in the water.