Just waiting for the xray to come back to find out if I have a stress fracture or just really bad shin splints. (Bone scan will take 6 weeks to get in, so why bother?) But until I get the film back I can’t decide if I should be going to Physio, ART or IMS.
I’m icing lots and trying to massage out the “ropiness” along the muscle. But it still hurts like hell walking.
Any words of advice? I figure I should forget about speed work at the track until I can manage comfortably for an hour on the trails.
For future reference if you do have a stress fracture-- I have had problems with my shins alot, stress fractures, stress reactions, shin splints, etc. I have been able to do my most consistent running when I add the treadmill(low impact kind) into my run training, and try to hit trails and grass for most of my outdoor runs. I think I have been able to ward off a stress fx a few times as well by getting on the treadmill for all of my runs until the pain starts to subside when outside. Then once I start to feel confident getting back outside I ease my way back out… Also I put almost all of my miles in on New Balance 991’s. They are heavy bastards, but they help me…ill race in flats, but mainly train in the 991’s.
First off, any stress fx takes up to 10-14 days to show on plain film X-rays. Even then, they are often not seen. 6 weeks to get a bone scan? Is there only 1 hospital in your town? That seems ridiculous. Also, an MRI can also show a stress fx with excellent soft tissue imaging as well. Shin splints should be a larger area of pain and more diffuse. A stress fx tends to be more focal.
I’ve had experience with both, so I’ll offer some suggestions. If the pain is concentrated in one spot, there is a good chance you have a SF. However, if it is more spread out and your shins are very tender, you probably just have shin splints. With a SF, it will hurt to press on one spot while with shin splints a tap over a larger area will cause pain.
Having said that, if you are still not sure which it is, I would lay off the running totally until you have ruled out that you have a SF. If you indeed have a SF, running on it more will only make it worse, thereby increasing your recovery time. In order to determine if you have one, you need to get a bone scan or MRI since some SFs are not visible on Xrays. In fact, if it does show up on an Xray, that means it a pretty bad one.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but a SF is not something to fool around with. The good news is that you will still be able to bike and swim. Let us know how it turns out.
Thanks for all the advice. Went to IMS this morning and I think the pain is related to a back problem that has worked it’s way down to my tibialis (sp?). The pain is more local than diffuse, but it doesn’t feel like it’s in the bone. Anyhow - IMS made me cry, I bent the needle, but holy smokes, 70% of the pain is gone!
But I think you’re right - time to lay off the running. Ease back on soft surfaces.
And boy am I gonna kick on the bike when this is all over!
PS I live in Canada where medical care is free but takes forever to get in to see someone.
Great time to log the bike and swim training! Had foot problem all '05 and logged major bike/swim training, improved both drastically and did well at IMFL. If you have access to tuning fork (yea, right), seriously, try that on boney surface where you have pain, intense ache is usually indicative of SF. I’ve had more than my share. Good luck!!
… If you have access to tuning fork (yea, right) …
Actually, my chiro did try that on me and no pain. Yay! But thanks to everyone for their support and a reminder that there are other things to concentrate on in this crazy sport ! My plan of sulking on the sofa does not look like a viable option now …
