OK, I got 'em. They are tearing me a new one on my running. They cropped up a few weeks ago and I did some research. I found some stretching stuff on a civvie forum and some good PT stuff in the archives here. I've been stretching and working on developing all of the potential weak links in my lower leg as well as resting, icing and massage.

Still, each time I start back, and I'm coming back easy (2 miles at 8.30 pace with alotta warm up and cool down) I'm ok for about 2 runs and then they kick in. The I rest for a coupla weeks and apply all the above therapy and repeat the process with the same results.

Anyone have experience with really persistent splints? I've looked into stress fractures and compartment syndrome and I don't really fit those sysmtoms; pretty sure it's just shin splints.

Any advice would be welcome; my running is crap right now.

Thanks.

Give them time to heal. Do swiming or biking in the mean time and stick to the grass or soft ground when you start running again. Here's a good article on them, think this link may have been posted here before.
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0608.htm

Ya, thanks, thats the one I got here and I thought it was working for a coupla days too. This is frustrating. I just started running again, on a dirt road, after a month off.

I'm getting pretty bent. I'm rockin on the cals, and my swimming is OK, but I'm so far behind on the running I'm gonna explode!

I used to suffer as well, mostly from over-use. Then I went to a real running store and had running shoes properly fitted. I'm talking they video taped me running on a treadmill, had me take several pairs out for long runs, then more video analysis of my feet. I ended up with $112 shoes that were ugly as sin, but my feet and legs have never felt better and now I'm on my third pair of the same exact shoes in a row. That could help,

jc

j,
Thanks. Thats my next step. The shoes I'm in now were fit by guys in the know. It certainly wasn't as in depth as your fitting (man, that sounds pretty cool), but they ran with me, watched me run and we talked about alotta different stuff.

Either, they don't know as much as I think they do or, if I'm lucky, it was a fluke misfit. Anyway, I'm out for a coupla weeks so I've got plenty of time to look around.

You need to strengthen your tiblia muscle with thera-bands and weights. Try a spinning class.

[]You need to strengthen your tiblia muscle with thera-bands and weights. Try a spinning class. [/]

Can you provide some more detail, kenneth? How do you train with thera-bands...and what on earth is a spinning class? And here I thought "spinning" is an activity reserved only for politicians.

Spinning is a cycling class at a gym in a closed room. First time I saw it was weird. They had music on and RED lights that were dimmed. Don't know what THAT is all about. I thought it was just one of those eccentric touchy feely California health club things. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Remeber Pavel in his video "...this is not your spinning class! This is for comrades who like it TOUGH! The RKC "

First, try this dumbell exercise. Sit at the edge of a bench, with a 50 lbs. dumbell, at your feet. Place the dumbell between your feet. Lift the dumbell with your feet. Next, extend your legs. Next, pull the weight towards you, with your feet. Repeat this for three sets of fifteen.

Thanks for the ideas...

If done properly, spinning can be a great workout, especially for somone who is trying to rehabilitate from an injury. In fact, I know a former PJ who conducts spinning classes. In order to get a good workout from a spinning class, you will need a heart rate monitor to monitor your energy output.

Quick question about this: Do stress fractures decrease tenderness to the touch rapidly? I'm trying to figure out if I have a stress fracture or not. I have a pain in my left shin that comes on after about a week of running (two runs or so). If I stop running it goes away after about 5 days or so, and I mean completely away. I have good running shoes that I purchased from a running store with the advice of a marathon runner there, I'm not increasing my mileage too dramatically, I run on dirt surfaces, I take calcium and lots of vitamin c....I should not be getting shin splints. The only possibility I can see is that I might have gotten a stress fracture in it months ago when I was running a lot harder and it keeps getting inflamed over and over again. It just seems strange to me that the pain of a stress fracture could go away in 5-7 days. Does anyone know if I can get referred to a sports medicine physician by my primary care doctor (active duty)? Thanks




Nathan

NAW,
You condition appears serious! Yes, you can get refered to a sports medicine specialist. My strength and conditioning guru is a partner in a professional strength/conditioning/sport medcine business that accepts TRICARE/CHAMPUS!

I've made an appointment with my primary care physician but he can't see me until next Friday. I'm worried the pain will be gone by then and I won't be able to convince him that it's something serious. They always think you have shin splints no matter what you tell them. What do you think from these symptoms:
(1) The pain is only in my left shin...my right always feels fine after a run
(2) It's very localized...I can pinpoint exactly where it hurts most
(3) It doesn't hurt when I first wake up in the morning...only after I walk around on it for awhile

Does that sound more like a stress fracture? The pain is not excruciating but I can definitely feel it just walking around. Even when I'm not putting any weight on it it still feels funny there. I'm just trying to figure out if I should really press that it feels like a stress fracture because I know they'll think I don't know what I'm talking about. I've never had problems with shin splints before but for about 2-3 months I was running very hard (intervals and sprints) on a rubber track in the same direction so I'm thinking I might have hurt it then and just not noticed because I took some time off after I finished that program. Anyone with any experience with shin splints/stress fractures have an opinion? Thanks,




Nathan

Any updates here Sanch? Sounds like a good, professional evaluation of your form, and the proper shoe to fit that form would be indicated...just wondering if that has happened...

I've covered this subject in fairly good detail previously. Do a search.

CK has gone in great detail, concerning shin splints. If you get a knucklehead for a doctor, ask to get a second opinion.
I would say your condition is serious.

Well, I'm still having problems with 'em.

Here's how I've dealt with it so far...

I've taken 30 days off completely from running at two separate points. The 1st was literally resting. No lower body excercise at all. The shin splints recurred within a 1/2doz easy runs. The 2nd 30 day break I did excercises mentioned here and at a few PT places I found on the web. Primarily Isometric and elastic band toe raises as well as alot of calf stretching (knee bent and straight).

Upon resuming running the shinsplints came back within a coupla weeks, but constant application of the aforementioned therapy kept them at a very mild level. When I upped my intensity, however, the pain caught up and so I rested again and resumed at a mild pace. At this point I got new shoes, as that was another recommendation. I pronate a bit in my right foot (the only leg with the shin splints BTW) and the new shoes control my foot and keep it in a mostly neutral position.

Now, after a couple of months of moderate running (mostly 8min pace, 3-7 miles) and continous application of the anti-shinsplint PT they have gotten to the point where they're abit outta hand. I'm currently taking time off again.

I run mostly on dirt - fire roads and single track. Pavement aggravates the injury. I ice and ibuprophen after every run and anytime there's discomfort. I've had massage and accupuncture (both of which I can get free, a huge help) which each provided temporary relief but no long term gain. Stress fractures have been ruled out (via Xray and the tuning fork) I think.

I've steered clear of orthotics both for cost and since I'm still unclear on whether I can use 'em in basic and SFAS.

So, after checking back here and searching thru the past shinsplint stuff again I found a couple more things to try and will take a whack at 'em. If anyone has any more ideas for really stubborn shin splints, I'm all ears.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I'd be interested in knowing whether or not orthotics are allowed, since I've used them my shin splints haven't returned(overpronation).

Orthotics ARE allowed! Orthotics are prescribed by a doctor.

Check out this thread: http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-78-79-529,FF.html?site=RunnersWorld (copy and paste the whole thing, it wont let me paste the link completely).
Im dealing with stress fractures in both legs now. They need rest. I rested mine for 6 weeks, went running and theyre worse than ever. Go see a sports doc and get a bone scan. The scan will tell you the seriousness of the fracture if anything at all. But for those...rest. Up to 2 months of it. It sucks, but supplement with swimming, bike riding, and kettlebells/weights.

Thanks Ken, thats good news. Sanchezero, even though they are a little pricey, orthotics may be a wise investment if they allow you to continue training without suffering from chronic shin plints. May case sounded similar to yours.

RAE, my symptoms do sound kinda like yours. Lemme know how things go; the orthotics may be the way to go. I'm a cheapskate, but this is important.

This is a response I got on another board:

[] A bunch of good suggestions already, one thing that has not been mentioned yet. If there is not good flexibility in the hips you will sometimes get a situation where one hip does not travel through a normal range of motion. It will often be rotated slightly forward of its neutral position. This efectively makes the body act like one leg is longer than the other (alot of long leg diagnoses are actually this problem). You will pronate on the side that has the dysfunction. This is actually fairly common. Even with good shoes this problem will persist until you get the hips corrected. The solution if this is the case:
Stretch the hip flexors, internal hip rotators, and external hip rotators.
[/]
Does this sound feasible/familiar to any of you?

Thanks.

So, could a Chiropractor help this by "adjusting" you? I know some people have no faith in them, but it seems to make sense if they can get you back in line.