So after complaining about pain in my calves.....I asked one of the Personal Trainers at the gym I go to and showed him where I hurt and he said I had shin splints. Ugh! Wish I had google images this earlier - the Posterior Tibial Stress Syndrome pain is 100% me! Sweet. not! So I was told to go home, rest, NO running for a minimum of a week and to ice and foam roll.
Of course I had to google this when I got home and sure enough wikipedia and a ton of other sites agree.
If you're feeling kinda nerdy like me right now- I'll sum some stuff up for ya regarding Shin Splints so you dont have to waste time on google and can spend that valuable time on facebook instead.
1. Shin Splints are caused by exercise such as running, jumping, swimming, cycling, dancing or other sports
2. The onset of shin splints is most common after exercise, caused by high-impact training, excessive training, poor technique or biomechanical problems such as flat feet or pronation.
3. Standing for long periods of time and wearing high-heeled shoes may also induce shin splints (But I LOVE My High-Heeled shoes!!)
4. Shin splints can be initially treated with rest, ice to reduce inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs and physiotherapy
5, For healing, rest may be required for a couple of weeks or up to 3 months for severe cases.(Really hoping here a week or 2 of rest will do me good)
The only good thing out of this is that I have to study for an upcoming CPA exam - since I cant run I've been studying more - the trainer did say I can swim, cycle and elliptical, so tonight I did the elliptical in the gym. Felt good. Then I foam rolled. I wanted to cry. No not really but holy sweet moley - wowzers - pain pain pain. Now that I know how to correctly use my foam roller - (I'll post on this later too!) yah these calves of mine are wayyyyy too tight and I dont help by wearing my pumps to work.....maybe I'll bring my flip flops and walk around the office in those instead, OR oooh pencil skirt and sneakers? LOL hmmm
HEy! I feel your pain, well not literally. I had shin splints last year, and I also did my CPA exam last year, so I know how much both of those things suck, hang in there and treat it early! Don't run through them, but don't stop running either. Just be gentle. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had shin splints for the first 2 years I was running. One even developed into an almost stress fracture, according to my physical therapist I saw every week for 4 months.
ReplyDeleteSo I've tried just about everything. Here's what worked best for me.
1) I swear that all my problems stopped the first time I switched from stability Nike shoes to a neutral Asics Gel-Nimbus.
Have you been to a shoe store and been properly fitted? Shoes can be 99% of it sometimes.
2) Compression! Compression is the biggest factor in staying injury free for me. I wear compression socks or sleeves literally all the time. To work, to bed. By far, my favorite are Zensah sleeves. (You can get at Running Warehouse for 15% off with this link: http://www.runningwarehouse.com/discount.html?pcode=jillwilld )
3) Ice! I know you're doing it. But do it 3x more. lol. Seriously. Ice 3 times a day. This goes for any running injury.
4) Alfredson Protocol. It's a strengthening exercise - explained with pics in this blog post: http://superfoodsuperfood.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/september-uninjured/
5) The Stick. The foam roller is too much for my calves. I use the Travel Stick. I can control the pressure more. http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpage-STTRAV.html
Finally (still reading?) I know you've been increasing your speed and your distance lately. You really probably only want to do one at a time. Since you're training for a half marathon, I would say lay off the speed and focus on distance. Like maybe run 10-min miles instead of sub-10 with negative splits.
Gosh, I hope I don't sound too know-it-all, but I've suffered through shin splints and now how frustrated you must feel.
I got linked to your blog from SkinnyRunner. I too am in the financial field (thought I am a Financial Analyst)and sit at my desk at work for LONG hours. That is why I am making fitness a priority.
ReplyDeleteI get Shin Splints when I do too much too fast and they kill. The icing helps, as does self massasing.
I tend to do the Alphabet Exercise at work at my desk to help strengthen them. Here is a link to try it out: http://www.digitalrunning.com/750/shin-splints/
Other than that, I have just been told to increase my mileage very slowly.
Hope you feel better soon!
BTW - I live in Orlando too and I am 30. Seems we have a lot in common. :-) (My blog is http://nospringchick.tumblr.com/)
ReplyDeletethe best way to get rid of shin splints: take a tennis ball and roll it under your foot for 15 minutes. you have to roll it REALLY hard so that the bottom of your foot will really start to hurt. believe it or not, but this simple trick got rid of my shin splints within 24 hours. the next day i could run without any pain. good luck with your shin splints!
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