Totally random shin splints?

MirandaHobbes

I've battled shin splints for a few years now- I've gone through PT to correct muscle imbalances, tried to correct my running form with an ortho, ordered custom orthotics, new shoes, etc. The exercises my PT gives me are pretty tame, so I signed up with a personal trainer and did intensive bootcamp work 4 days a week for a month. She is used to dealing with running injuries and had me doing a lot of balance work to work on stablizer muscles to reduce the risk of running injuries. I gradually started running again (less than 3 miles, very slow), and voila- no shin splints. I felt great! But after a 4 day rest from running/working out over the holiday weekend, I went out for a short (2.5 mile) run and my shins were screaming in pain. Does anyone else deal with shin pain that is seemingly random? Or shin pain due to inactivity for a few days? I suppose it could be overuse, but I haven't been running very much at all- maybe 8 miles a week. I'm so tired of trying to diagnose this pain! Just curious what you would do here. TIA!

MirandaHobbes

Nope it was the same old trail I always run on (asphalt). I did try to run again this morning wearing compression socks and there was no pain- so the socks may be helping, or another twist may be that I ran first thing in the morning rather than after work.. I feel like I'm always trying to "crack the code" of what's causing shin pain! I did a short stint playing rugby and running on grass was an entirely new surface and I remember the shin pain being unbearable, so surface definitely plays a part.

ohioloveyou

Surface definitely makes a difference!  I notice shin splints somewhat randomly too, but they're never too bad (I can get along with the pain).  I notice it if I am trying to go out after not running for a little while and still run like I normally would.  Even after a few days, I've learned to take it easy. 

ewill7911

MirandaHobbes:

Nope it was the same old trail I always run on (asphalt). I did try to run again this morning wearing compression socks and there was no pain- so the socks may be helping, or another twist may be that I ran first thing in the morning rather than after work.. I feel like I'm always trying to "crack the code" of what's causing shin pain! I did a short stint playing rugby and running on grass was an entirely new surface and I remember the shin pain being unbearable, so surface definitely plays a part.

I have found that running on cement or asphalt is more likely to cause shin splints then a dirt trail - but since I dont live in an area with a close by dirt trail I have to use the cement sidewalks in our neighborhood. I stretch my legs a lot before and after running, I massage my shins after running and I take fish oil vitamins with omega 3's/eat a lot of fish that have a lot of omega 3's. It seems like the stretching/massage/vitamins help a lot but I will sometimes get shin splints still but not as bad, I used to have to ice my shins and I was in massive amounts of pain but its gotten much better. I tried the differing time of day but it was still a random thing of when/if I got the shin splints, I tried drinking much more water, different workout clothes/shoes and have tried different surfaces but have still gotten shin splints on every surface but it seems less so/less frequently on dirt trails.

kipnus

Did you do the "duck walking" exercise, where you walk around on your heels? That's supposed to be a good one.