Shin Splints?

[TheBiggness]

Today I finaly get to the point where I can run without loseing my breath and 1 mile in my legs hurt so bad I had to stop. Last week the sides of my calves felt tight during the first part of any running or walk/sprinting I did and went away after awhile, and I didn't think nothing of it.

Well on the angry walk back home I noticed I had a knot on the outer sides of my shins and then went away after 15 min or so. I looked at a few pages on the internet about shin splints but i'm not sure. I'm hopeing it's just some muscles geting worked over good because I don't want to quit, not now.

What do you guys think?

[sparkie]

Ever have to sleep thru charlie horses? Get used to it.

[bgsuwoody]

I have shin splints, but its pain that I can run through and there definitely is no knot. I have used the acronym P-R-I-C-E that is a way to solve the.
P-Prevention/Protection
R-Rest
I-Ice
C-Compression
E-Elevation

I use all of these, but my pain isn't so horrible that I cannot run as long as I do all these things. However, with a knot on your leg, I wouldn't be able to guess (cause I'm not a doctor) what it would be.

BTW there are plenty of threads on here about shin splints. I know one was asked last week and has some information. Take a look!

[killerinstinct]

you need to start stretching more both before and after your work outs man.

I got shin splints and it will lead to a fracture.

Basically try to lay off the running hard core let your body heal. Get a pair of good shoes take motrin, stretch before and after to prevent some injuries

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Shin spints are usually show pain that run up and down your shin on the inside and/or outside of your shin. A knot is something else. If it is a muscle cramp you need to hydrate and stretch before and after you run. If you're sure that isn't what it is you need to see a doctor.

[Motorola07]

Some advice about the muscle cramp. Eat crackers, it has the salt, and it will help you out with the cramps. hydrate. ALOT. Stretch before and after a run, and ice down your legs. Its a cramp that he has. I use to get them all the time, the knots on your side of the legs. I ate few crackers a night and drank more water.

[hempstead56]

I had shin splints, trust me they will get better and you will get through it. Try running every other day to give your body a chance to heal. The most important thing is to STRETCH!!!!

[firebrick]

for shin splints I would ice everyday, take a styrofoam cup, fill it with water and freeze, then just tear down on the cup to have ice you can hold onto. also 800mg motrin a couple of times a day works along with the ice. A couple of months of steady running, hopefully you have no more shin splints! worked for me

[Quinbo]

Trying to ice through, work through, motrin through shin splints will make them worse. You need a different exercise routine. Do not do any more sprints. Shin splints is actually a painful seperation of the supporting muscles of the shin. It can go further to become stress fractures in the shin. A 3 or 4 day break from any exercise on your legs except swimming will help. Work on your abs for a while.

[firebrick]

You are right Bulkyker. I forgot to add that I took several weeks off from running when the shin splints really started hurting. Then began a slow work up to running distance. But the ice afterwards really helped.

[TheBiggness]

Thanks for the help guys, I wasn't sure if I should keep it up or not. I'll try again monday or tuesday and see how that goes.

[dmdenike]

I had shin splints when I stopped, then started running again (over a course of 3 months). The pain was terrible the next day. I went out and bought some new running shoes, stretched, and kept myself hydrated and they got better, now I dont have them because I did those things. It helped me out, hope it works for you too.

[Billd]

I've known some runners that will let the garden hose water get good and cold and run it over their legs for ten minutes or so, some even take put there legs in a ice bath. It does help if you can stand it. Shin splints can cause stress fractures that will take forever to heal!! Be slow, be consistant, Warm up with stretching and a five minute brisk walk before running, Same when you stop, walk for five minutes or so, then stretch more than you did before the run. Running moves your muscles out of place, stretching when you're done puts them back where they started, thus less pain. most of the pain you feel is Lactate buildup. As you get more running in, your body gets to where it has a higher lactate thershold, thus less pain!
Good luck! Endurance before speed! don't try to push hard starting out, be consistant with your training. Speed will come later.

[bigdog43701]

a very effective treatment for shin splints is sit on an object that keeps you foot well off of the floor. take a strap and attach it to you effected foot with a small weight (start with 5 lbs) attached to the other end. using your foot only left the weight up and down to strengten the muscles attached to the shin. this muscle is very weak and no one ever thinks of exercising it. it is also the smallest muscle group in the body. works very well and takes care of shin splints very quickly.