shin splints

[bostonwendy]

a dear friend of mine is back on the i-need-get-healthy wagon, in part inspired by my home workouts and constant requests for her to come outside and walk with me =) the bad news... shes been on the treadmill a couple of times at the gym and gets shin splints within 10 mins. i know nothing about it but told her i'd ask my cathe friends! so... what to do? is she just not warming up and stretching enough? are there particular exercises that can help or that should be avoided? is this related to the fact that she is heavy and basically sedentary for a while?

wendy

 

[Aquajock]

so... what to do? is she just not warming up and stretching enough? are there particular exercises that can help or that should be avoided? is this related to the fact that she is heavy and basically sedentary for a while?

wendy

Yes, yes, yes and yes. It is probable that she is trying to do too much to soon, and needs to be very careful edging into a consistent workout schedule. While I'm not sure from your post whether she is walking or running on the treadmill, IMHO she should dedicate herself to at least 10 minutes of walking at a moderate pace on the TM, then step off and do a nice brief static stretch for all of the lower body and low back muscles INCLUDING the calves, then get back on the TM and go at a moderately brisker pace. Then at least 5 minutes of cooling down at the same moderate pace as the warm-up, and a longer stretch for all muscle groups afterward, holding the stretches longer.

On Cathe's STS discs (Meso 1 comes to mind) she has an excellent drill for the anterior calf muscles that incorporates (I almost typed "incorporporates", and almost liked spelling better) a stability ball and body weight; this is an excellent drill to stave off shin splints. Nothing, however, replaces being intelligent about starting out modestly but consistently when bringing exercise into one's lifestyle after years of being sedentary (almost typed "sedendary", almost liked it better) especially if one is carrying a lot of excess storage fat.

A-Jock

 

[bostonwendy]

thanks, a-jock!

i will pass this information along. i don't have sts, though. any idea what those anterior calf muscle exercises might be called? or i can just google it. hopefully i can find something on youtube or elsewhere. i was pregnant when sts was coming out and didnt think it was in the cards for me. totally regretting it now... but c'est la vie!

lol at your spelling=)

much appreciated.

wendy

 

[horseshowmom]

Runner's World has lots of great stretches/exercises for shin splints. There was another article in either the April or May issue. You should be able to access them on-line at their website runnersworld.com
I also struggle with shinsplints when running! I was convinced I actually had stress fractures they hurt so badly!
Could your friend alternate with a cycle or elliptical workout while she is getting used to impact exercise?
Good luck to her and good for you for helping her out!
Becky

 

[hiitdogs]

I had really bad shin splints, in fact, so bad they had shown up on my bone scan

Of course, I did not want to listen and take a rest but at least I decreased my mileage and stopped running hills. What helped for me was

• Ice 3 to 4 times per day for a few minutes
• Taping my my shins with one of those neoprene sleeves
• New shoes
• Changed my running style a bit by leaning forward, there was a show on fittv about Chi running but there are also books about it, it really helped with my splints
• Took an herbal anti-inflammatory called Zyflamend

Crosstraining is also recommend but my main cardio is running, I continue to run 5 times a week with varying intensities and mileages. So far the shin splints haven't come back. I am still on the Zyflamend for different reasons though.

 

[cocob1]

Tell your friend she has my sympathy with the shin splints. I get them very easily and have all my life. Even just walking. I'm not a PT or fitness expert but this is what I do. I can never just add in a run or long walk if I haven't built up my endurance - no matter how many of Cathe's cardio workouts I do. The impact factor isn't the same.
When I used to run I did the couch to 5k training and I never got them. I'd get very impatient with having to take so long to get up to "speed" so to speak but it worked. No shin spints or ITB problems.
I also have to do a 5 to 10 min. warm up before I walk or run - something like Cathe does on her STS series (not meant to make you feel bad about not having STS. The warm up is very easy, just moving in place or side to side to bring the heart rate up and bring blood to the muscles) -light cardio - then I gently loosen up my joints, especially hip, knee and ankle with a few rotations - then I stretch my legs, backc shoulders and go.
If I don't do the warm up & stretch... bingo... shin splints every time. I also have to do a cool down and stretch or I also get shin splints.
It might be my physical makeup or from wearing clogs for years when I was young. Who knows but that's what works for me.
If I get pain then I do have to back off completely, use ice and when the shins are healed, start over.
Colleen

 

[Janis]

When I started running again I was determined to do it without getting hurt. I realized that I had no idea how to run! A couple of things helped me...first I echo what everyone said here about easing into it...walk, stretch, walk, run, walk etc...

Second, I found a stretch that makes me look very weird, but works - I believe it is from Coach Scott Sonnon. You walk on the outside edges of your feet twenty or so paces or whatever it takes, then walk on the inside edges twenty or so paces (or whatever it takes), this amazingly relieves cramping and prevents shin splints.

Third, changing my foot strike. I use to heel strike. OUCH-Y. Now I can run painlessly for miles and miles and miles using ball-toe, or when walking using midfoot-ball-toe. (Hiitdog mentioned Chi running, which uses this foot strike, as does Prose Running...Prose also has a webpage on treadmill running which was useful.)

Finally, lifting weights/lower body exercises gave me all over tone and strength to avoid injury. There is an excercsie on Gym legs on the floor using the stability ball which helped too - I have to focus my attention to feel it - but I know this one exercise made a huge difference. It is the one where your resist the ball with hands while pulling the ball towards you with the toes.

I hope this helps your friend.
Janis

oh, one other thing, I just remembered - I started using a calcium magnesium supplement which has 1000mg magnesium to 500mg calcium, this ratio evidently aids in muscle repair.

 

[tsagona]

I was told by someone ??? that shin splints are a result of bad shoes. I'm sure it must be more than that but she may want to give her shoes some consideration also.

Tracy

 

[marnapril]

yes definitely the shoes. in addition to doing proper warmups and stretching (and giving the body adequate time to adjust to running especially if sedentary) you really need real running shoes, which have shock absorbsion and proper support. especially if this person is overweight. your feet and legs are absorbing the shock and impact with each footstrike. your friend needs to invest in a good quality pair of running shoes that fit well. best advice i can give (long time runner here) is to go to a running store and get fitted.

 

[bostonwendy]

thanks, everyone! i hope she is not discouraged by the pain... my plan is to share this added information and also invite her to do some outdoor walks with me (we have a nice track with that foam material near us where my sons HS team runs) so we can warm up and do the recommended stretches together. its funny how no gym staff have offered her advice/recommendations when they see a struggle. i thought the floor staff are supposed to be there for just that...yet another reason why i work out at home!

thanks again,
wendy