I have been suffering with shin splints for a while, even after making the transition to a mid/forefoot. I have now settled on using kinvaras after having tried various other brands and style of shoes.
I have been reading a lot with regards to shin splits, and the possible treatments and a large amount of these suggest that pronation could be a major factor. However, I was under the impression that pronation is not so much of a factor if you are landing mid/fore as opposed to landing on the heel. Is anyone able to add anything to this and confirm whether this should be a factor I look into when attempting to resolve my issue
Thanks
My 2 cents coming from 38 years of distance running. “Shin splints” is a pretty broad term covering a variety of ailments. Your transition to a different running style does not necessarly reduce your injury risk, in fact it may be the cause of your injury. If you are changing your running style you probably need to do it slowly giving yourself time to adapt. Same goes for changing to a new type of shoe.
Get better, go back to what you were doing before getting hurt and start making gradual changes.
Like Rambler said, your shin pain may be due to the change in your running style, and your change in shoes. It’s impossible to know without seeing you run and more history, but here’s a pattern I see a lot:
Someone is overstriding, landing with their foot well in front of their knee. Consequently, their heel hits the ground first.They read that they “should” be mid-foot striking, but don’t change their stride length. Which causes them to point their toe toward the ground when landing.They also read that they “should” be using shoes with a lower heel lift.
But because they’re still overstriding, #2 and #3 causes their heel to be elevated when their mid-foot hits the ground first. Which means the calf has to lengthen to reach the ground while it is tensed.
Which all puts immense pressure on the calf and soleus.The calf and the soleus are big, strong muscles in relation to the muscles/fascia on the front of the tibia. When they’re too tight, they pull at the shins. Thus, shin pain.
Some possible solutions to the above:
Stretch and roll your calf and soleus.Don’t point your toe down when you land (especially if you weren’t doing so before you transitioned to mid-foot strike).Consider getting a shoe with a higher heel lift. Or put heel lift inserts in your current shoes.Focus on landing with your foot beneath your knee (not in front of it), and focus on landing on the place on your foot where you used to.
just my experience, i overpronate AND midfoot/forefoot strike AND have issues with “shin splints” (posterior tibialis for me). Choice of shoes definitely effects it for me, Kinvaras have a small amount of support i think, well they have some arch support which for me stops me overpronating to the point where i get shin splints. If i run in my A5s in anything but a race then they come right back (zero support). just something to think about
Just came across this video which provides good visual to explain the mechanics that cause shin splint, starting around 9:35 mark. I think you’re definitely already on the right track by switching to mid/forefoot landing, which more or less eliminates pronation and a major cause of shin splint. Now you just need to invest some time in exercises/treatments to rehabilitate your existing injury and let it heal. Best of luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUkGntOOUE
Just came across this video which provides good visual to explain the mechanics that cause shin splint, starting around 9:35 mark. I think you’re definitely already on the right track by switching to mid/forefoot landing, which more or less eliminates pronation and a major cause of shin splint. Now you just need to invest some time in exercises/treatments to rehabilitate your existing injury and let it heal. Best of luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUkGntOOUE
That’s great advice too. Massive amounts of ankle/toe dorsi flexion can have something to do with shin splints. It also helps explain how race walkers can have a great deal of shin splints.
I am not a running expert so please take what I say with that in mind. It seems to me that if I had a choice, the last foot strike I would want would be forefoot. This puts the most strain on the achilles. Distributing the load makes the most sense to me at least with respect to reducing the possibility of injury. This would favor a mid-foot strike. That being said, I don’t know how much sense it makes to consciously alter your body mechanics - could do more harm than good.
I’ve had shinsplints before - was a problem that just seemed to go away after a while. If I had to guess, I’d say I was developing the strength needed to overcome the trauma caused by muscle weakness. Of course there’s a fine line between getting stronger and aggravating the shinsplints.
I found out recently that I’m a classic heel striker. I have been doing drills and went from 12mm stack Gel nimbus to 8mm stack Saucony Rides and I’ll tell you, I hurt more feel like a 90 year old after running even 2 miles in the rides vs. the nimbus trying to midfoot land. I’m sure I’m trying to overcompensate and point my toes. Heel striking isn’t the end of the world as long as you don’t have your leg way out i front and straight when you land. I’m seriously thinking of getting some Hoka’s and seeing what they can do.