Shin Pain

Hi.  Lately, I've been getting lots of pain on the inside part of my shin bones.  This is really annoying because it hurts to run or do certain weight lifting exercises.  The pain was probably caused by running.  :P  I run about 3-4 miles a day.  Does anyone have any solution for getting rid of this pain? 

Oh I hate that!  And yes, it hurts so bad... The reason you're experiencing this is either b/c you're not wearing the right kind of running shoes or b/c of poor posture when you're running. 

Go to About.com and search "correct running posture." There is a really good short video that may help you.  Its good to re-evaluate our posture frequently.  Its just so darn easy to get lazy.

Oh, and water!  Are you staying well hydrated?

HTH, Jennifer

Hi, unfortunatley that sounds like 'shin splints'

It can take a while to heal, as Classymommy states above, check your running posture, but also make sure you do a full warm up and stretch before excercise, it can take some time to get right, and you need to rest completley to heal them, if you keep running they will get worse, if I were you, I would rest up, do a low weight bearing excercise instead to get your fitness in, ie cycling, swimming.

Once they are healed, then go for a running consultation, there are shops where I live that the sales asistants put you on a treadmill on a slow walk and then a jog and look at your running style, from this they reccomend what trainers you need, or sometimes even inserts.

Another way of finding out about your posture is to step on the floor tiles when you are out the shower and see what pattern you leave behind, you can see if you are flat footed, which will leave a wide shape, normal foot print or high arch which I suspect you are, and this shape will be thinner on the outside of the print, and will solve all your running problems!

Good luck! :-)

Ouch, I've been there, so I feel your pain....Shin splints can also be caused by running too much. Most runners would advice against running every day. Supplement your training/exercise program with alternate running and non-weight bearing exercise. Cross-training will help you work different muscle groups, improve overall cardiovascular fitness and reduce the chances for other injuries.

You should probably cut way back or even stop running until the pain subsides. Basically, following R.I.C.E. will help a lot (rest, ice, compression, elevation). Do these four things on a daily basis and you see pretty quick improvements. Cross train during this period and ease back into running every other day once the pain is gone.

Replace your running shoes every 300-500 miles, as this is the general mileage at which they run out. Activetrainer.com has a great workout calendar, you can log your mileage and log it to a specific pair of shoes so you can keep track of your miles.

Hope that helps, and feel better soon. I know it's frustrating not to be able to get out there and run, but RESTING really will be best in the long run.

How old are your shoes and do you have good heel support?  That was the first thing my podiatrist asked me and my husband's sports doctor asked him!

Your shoes should have no more than 100 miles on them.  For us, that is new shoes every 6 weeks.

Also if you are medically able, take an Advil or Tylenol before and after you run.  Also ice the shin immediately afterwards for 20 minutes.

We were amazed at the results in a very short time.

Original Post by sjwashburn:

Your shoes should have no more than 100 miles on them.  For us, that is new shoes every 6 weeks.

While the mileage you can get out of your running shoe will vary depending on the quality of shoes you buy and your running form, 100 miles as an upper limit seems a little low. I just passed 185 miles on my current pair of shoes and they still feel great. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be able to afford new shoes every 100 miles (about a month)

This is from the Runner's World online Running Shoe Guide:

Q: How many miles can I reasonably expect out of my running shoes?

A: Okay, you know we don't want to answer that question because there are so many variables. But, if pushed, we'll say you should get at least 350 miles from a solid training shoe, and you can reasonably expect another 100 or 200 miles. You'll probably get fewer from a lightweight trainer and far fewer from racing shoes. Some runners, particularly those who have efficient running form, get as much as 700 to 800 miles from their training shoes.