1st-pray they are just shin splints, my training partner is on crutches with 3 stress fractures she was sure were just shin splints

2nd-make sure you are in the right shoes, chances are if the shin splints just popped up with your increasing mileage and you have never had problems in the past it's either just worn out shoes, too fast a mileage build, or not enough rest from last year.

3rd-ice after every run. my fav from back in the days when I had shinsplints a lot and even got lucky and got my very own stress fracture, was ice packs under ace bandages. 20min on and keep the ace bandages on even after the ice is off.

4th-calf stretching

5th-don't run downhill or on concrete/anything hard

6th-if you are really stuck, the cho-pat shinsplint brace is awesome (although not as awesome as time off)

After your runs lie on your back with one leg in the air. Loop a small towel over the sole of your foot (shoes on) and grip both ends. Pull down hard on one side for 30 seconds rotating your foot and then on the other side. You'll find that the muscles around your shin will get a good stretch.

Ice them then pop a few a couple of anti-inflamatories.



Should be good to go.

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"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy."
John Sawhill

hey thanx a lot. i have had problems with this before and i just got new shoes, but i'll try the icing

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If a man does his best, what more can we ask?

When I start to get them I always Ice my shins after I run to lessen the inflamation. You should find some immediate help by doing that.

You can strengthen that muscle that you feel aching by hanging your foot off a bed or chair and writing the alphabet with your toes. First write it in print, then in cursive, and then backwards in each. It can also help to warm up before running by walking about 25 meters about 5 times on your heels with your toes up in the air.

If the pain is real bad, I and some other runners I know, have placed some electrical tape around that part of our shins. Electrical tape has some elasticity to it so it doesn't really cut off circulation, but can help alleviate the pain by pressing back on the muscle in the front of your shin. This is a last resort kinda thing, we would only do this to get through a race or two that we had to run.

One thing I highly recommend is to try to avoid running on asphalt for a little while. Try to stay on the grass or run on some dirt roads. The cushion from that type of surface seems to really help alleviate a lot of the pain I get.

If you have just begun to feel pain, you don't really have true shin splints yet, just some aching muscles. Be thankfull and ice them after every run.

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- Nick
Now that I know some of you guys look through the special needs bags for kicks, I'm gonna put some really weird stuff in mine. I can see it now. "What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?"

Everyone had great suggestions. Another thing to consider is backdown your mileage and/or running with less intensity for couple of weeks and put more time into biking and swimming. Also if you have strength bands pulling up on one with your foot by bending at the ankle builds strength in the area that is injuried.

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Saddlesore