Shin splints, which is a term that includes pain in both the interior and anterior shins, can come on gradually, but, over time, develop into a very painful running injury. Here are some tips about dealing with shin pain.
What are the causes and preventative measures for shin pain?
Shin splints occur when runners incorporate increased mileage, intense speedwork and racing into their training without easing into the new workload. Because of this, shin splints are probably the number one injury for beginning runners and athletes who are returning to training after a long break. Here are some ideas in trying to combat shin pain.
- RICE: RICE stands for "rest, ice, compression, and elevation". It is the default treatment for essentially any running injury. The first letter, "R", is perhaps the most important. If you are feeling hamstring pain, don't try to tough it out! Take at least two days off and give your body a chance to heal! As for the last three letters, I have found that the best way to carry out "ICE" is to follow this method: 1) Freeze water in a paper cup in the freezer, 2) When frozen, take the block of ice out of the freezer and roll it over your shins for about 10 minutes, 3) Afterward, wrap an ace bandage or towel around your leg and, while lying on your back, prop your leg up on a chair, 4) After 10 minutes, take the towel/ace bandage off and repeat steps 1-3, 5) Try to do this at least 2-3 times per day.
- NSAIDs: "NSAID" stands for Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug. NSAIDs include Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Motrin IB), Naproxen (Aleve).
NSAIDs do a great job at reducing inflammation in the body and promoting healing. While these drugs may help you
if you are hurt, please be careful not to abuse the drugs. Only take them for about a 2 week period because extended use
can really do bad things to your kidneys. I have heard some horror stories about runners who used NSAIDs for
months on end who are now suffering from serious kidney issues. Therefore, make sure to use NSAIDs
if you have a shin splint problem, but please don't overuse them.
- LIGHT stretching: As your shins start to feel better, incorporate some very light stretching
to increase mobility and lengthen the muscle a bit to promote healing. Be very careful not to overstretch. One good way to stretch the shin is, while standing, grab the top of the foot of your affected leg as if you were trying to stretch your quad muscles. Try to pull on the top of your foot until you feel a light stretch in your shin. Hold for 30 seconds, rest, and repeat.
- See a professional: To be honest, if you really want to cure a chronic shin splint injury, stop reading this and go see a profession sports medicine physician and/or a physical therapist as soon as possible. Also consider seeing a good massage therapist. Sometimes massage therapists can work wonders in loosening up shin muscles and nursing them back to their pre-injury condition. These health professionals can help you get back to running far quicker than any advice that I can offer you.
