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Permalink Reply by Delhi Runners on September 10, 2009 at 12:27pm

Pranav,

I am no medical expert, so I generally refer to advice online. Some suggestions on the remedial actions at coolrunning.com below:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_5/196.shtml

Another good reference from about.com below:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/legpainandinjuries/Leg_Pain_and_...

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Permalink Reply by Veera on September 10, 2009 at 12:56pm

Hi Pranav ,

I had the same problem 2 months back . What I did was :-

(0) First sign of shin split- stopped running for 4 days ....full halt.
(1) Stopped all speed workouts and switched over to low intensity ,slow running .
(2) Reduced the mileage by 50 % , reduce the running days from 6 to 3.
(3) Started cross training more - walking ,swimming so that I do not gain wgt and still maintain cardio-fitness.

Reg, Gait analysis - none in Mumbai ( I am from Mumbai ) , only at Bangalore Manipal Hospital it is done.
I am sure a stall of Gait analysis will be put up during ADHM expo ( but please confirm this with the organisers ).
best of luck in your preparation,
rgds,
Veera

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Permalink Reply by Pranav Desai on September 10, 2009 at 4:11pm

Thanks a ton
I think rest is one thing which i am not doing enough
i will give running a break for 2 weeks
atleast

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Permalink Reply by Pranav Desai on September 10, 2009 at 4:11pm

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Tanmoy Bhattacharya on September 10, 2009 at 8:39pm

Hi Pranav,
Very good idea -- two weeks should be more than enough for shin splints. If you think, there's more than that, e.g., tendon ligature, then even three weeks is not a bad idea -- I had both, so speaking from personal experience :)
For shin strengthening, there is one stretching exercise, which is to shove your toe under the sofa while standing and trying to "lift" the sofa. Of course, you shouldn't do this now but may be after two weeks or whenever you think you are fully healed.
HTH,
Tanmoy

Pranav Desai said:

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Pranav Desai on September 10, 2009 at 8:42pm

Thanks Tanmoy

sharing of such experiences helps a lot
i am a lone runner here in Surat and have nobody to share with.
The reason i continued running with the injury ( it was foolish) is because i didnt want to loose the running habit.
But now i think i am brave enough to stop for a few weeks
Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Tanmoy Bhattacharya on September 10, 2009 at 9:00pm

Pranav -- kai bandho nathi --- here's some more on the shin splints exercise I saved from some source in April but have not copied the URL of the source:

Sooner or later almost all runners experience pain in the calf or shin. There are several types of overuse injuries that may develop in this region as a result of the repeated pounding from running. Shin splints, stress fractures, and chronic compartment syndrome have a common mechanism of development. Understanding the circumstances that lead to these injuries is the key to preventing them.

The overall recurring theme that leads to overuse running injuries is excess training with inadequate recovery. Excess and inadequate are relative terms and must be judged against one’s usual training routine. The more that excess and inadequate deviate from the usual training routine the less time it takes for an overuse injury to develop. Keeping this theme in mind one can now examine the specifics for how shin splints develop.

A simplified view of the mechanics of running shows a foot-strike, then a loading/energy transfer phase, and finally a push off (“toe-off”) with the forefoot. Each foot-strike delivers a shockwave that travels up the leg. This energy must be absorbed by the musculoskeletal system. The harder the running surface the greater the shockwave. Soft grass, smooth dirt, asphalt, and concrete represent, in order of increasing “hardness”, the usual spectrum of commonly encountered running surfaces. Concrete is very hard on the body and training on this surface should be avoided.

Distance running shoes are specifically designed to provide padding and support for the biomechanics of endurance running. They help absorb shock and facilitate efficient energy (motion) transfer. Matching the type of running shoe to the athlete’s specific biomechanics, and proper shoe fit are important. Similarly, worn out shoes should be replaced early because of reduced shock absorbing capacity. Runners with high rigid arches tend to experience greater pounding shock, whereas those with flat feet tend to experience greater fatigue of the muscles that support the foot -- and push-off. Both tend to develop shin splints


The term shin splints refers to a painful condition that develops along the inside (medial edge) of the shin (tibia). The usual location is along the lower half of the tibia, anywhere from a few inches above the ankle to about half-way up the shin. The repeated running cycle of pounding and push off results in muscle fatigue, which may then lead to higher forces being applied to the fascia, the attachment of fascia to bone, and finally the bone itself. Respectively, this represents a spectrum from mild to severe. On the relatively more severe end of the scale the injury may progress from stress reaction within the bone to an actual stress fracture.

In the early stage of shin splints a runner will describe a pain that is present when the training run first begins, but then disappears as running continues. The pain will often return after exercise or the following morning. As the injury progresses the athlete will experience more time with the pain, and less time without it. There is frequently a tender zone along the medial edge of the tibia that one can map out by pressing with the fingertips as they “march up” along the bone. Eventually, if ignored and training continued, the pain may become quite sharp and may focus on a very small area of the bone. If this happens a stress fracture should be considered.

The treatment for shin splints is rest. Depending upon severity it is often necessary to completely stop running for a period of time. Generally this is done until day-to-day activities are pain free. When running is resumed – and this is where many injured runners make a mistake – it must be significantly different from the routine that lead to the injury. The concept of relative rest employs lengthening the interval between training as well as decreasing the volume and intensity of training. One can often substitute cross-training activities (e.g., bicycling) for running to help increase the interval between running days. There should be a graded and gradual increase in run training, keeping an eye out for the return of any shin splint symptoms.

Stretching and strengthening the calf muscles can help prevent the injury from returning. However the most important preventive strategy is not to repeat the mistakes that lead to the injury. Examine all the training variables – surface, shoes, training volume, intensity, workout type, hills, weather conditions, etc. Seek help from a qualified trainer or coach. This all takes time and effort, but it is well worth it.

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Permalink Reply by Pranav Desai on September 10, 2009 at 9:04pm

ok
this helps
i think i too read the above article probably on Runner's world website,
But getting it from someone who is running and has experienced something similiar helps you to take the decision to stop running for a while , which i was not able to do and probably aggravating the injury
Thanks

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