shin splints

[Earthpig]

Try replacing your runs with stationary bike, swimming, stairsteppers, or something similar. That way you'll be reducing stress on your shins, but will still be building stamina, endurance, cardio, etc. Definately nurse them. We've seen LOTS of OPT40 guys "go down the road" because of shin splints.

RLTW
EP

[RFS130Z]

I am only a DEP so my advice is worth next to nothing. But I would advise you to take it easy for a while. I had the same issue, I was so excited about my run times improving that I didn't bother to "waste" time to let my injuries heal. I now have stress fractures in shin because of it and can't do any running at all.

Good luck,

Rob

[Baseplate]

change your shoes, and run faster cause you are way to slow

[Bravo57]

Sit on the edge of the bed with the middle of your calves on the edge. Spell the A, B, C's with your feet. Do it twice in the morning and twice before you go to bed. Just move your feet like you are spelling out the alphabet. This will strengthen the muscle in your shins and help with ankle flexibility.

If you continue to run, run in the grass and stay off of the pavement. The stationary bike is most likely the best option as mentioned earlier until your shin muscles are better. About 1 month with my remedy.

[Baseplate]

Or just chop off your legs. Serously I don't know one person that has done any amout of serious running that hasn't had shin splints. Here's the answer stretch get better shoes and drive on through the pain trust me when I say that shin splints are usually something you just have to get over

[Nomad]

....and drive on through the pain trust me when I say that shin splints are usually something you just have to get over

That's sound medical advice. Sound like the reason why plenty of good guys got RFM'd. Go ahead and compound a "stress fracture" by "driving on" and see what happens. Best case you won't be able to walk, worst case you'll be in a cast with broken bones.



74IronHead,

Listen to Ranger's B57 and Tenn-Rgr. Your body just told you it needs to heal. Continually injuring or re-injuring your legs will not only keep you from making it through any military training, it can keep you from getting into the Army to begin with. Take your time fixing yourself up and start slowly applying more resistance to your workouts. Time is on your side!

[Baseplate]

I'll have you know that I am only 10 years of schooling away from being a doctor and there fore you should listen to me

[Descartes]

Another thing you can do along with the advil/motrin is to icey hot your shins and do a snug wrap with an ACE bandage after you are done working out your legs. Also dont forget to properly stretch your shins prior to your work outs. The whole stretching your muscle for a whopping 30 seconds isnt enough if you are getting shin splits. Take your time with your stretches and make sure they are nice and loose will help tons for injuries.

[ANGRYCivilian]

I am the shin-splint king...unfortunately. Once you nurse your leg(s) back to health, you need to start running in a correct order of steps. First, your current stretching routine is insufficient. The following are special, runner-oriented stretches:

I don't know the names of the special stretches, just the actions, so I'll describe them. You will need a length of rope. Fold rope in half, tie a knot at the end so that there is a loop large enough to stick your foot through.

Stretches in the order that I do them:

Regular stretches:

Neck rotations
Shoulder rotations
Hip rotations
Knee rotations
Ankle rotations
Standing abdominal stretch, reach for the sky, then lean left, right
Pectoral and bicep stretch, where you look like Jesus on the cross
Turn and bounce
Hamstring stretch w/ feet shoulder-width apart, then wider, then wider, then feet together

Special stretches:

Lay on the floor, keep right let straight and on the floor, raise(not pull) left knee to chest with hands behind the knee, not on the shin, giving a gentle pull when you cannot raise your knee anymore. Return to original position. 10 reps. Switch legs, 10 reps.

Roll on your left side, curl up in the fetal position, with knees up to your chest and head tucked down. Your left hand holds your left knee in place. Place the loop of your rope around your right foot. Push your foot backward, like you're trying to touch your lower back with it. Gently pull on the rope when you cannot push anymore. Return your leg to the original position. 10 reps. Switch sides, 10 reps.

Lay flat on the floor again, with the loop of the rope around your left foot. Keep your right leg almost straight, with your knee bent just a hair. Raise your left leg with knee just barely bent straight up. With one hand on each of the ropes ends/handles gently pull outward. This will pull your put towards your head a bit. Return to original position. 10 reps. Switch sides, 10 reps.

Lay flat on the floor, with the loop around the ball of your left foot. Point your toes towards your head. Gently pull on the rope's handles to assist in the stretch. Return to original position. 10 reps. Switch sides, 10 reps.

Same position and stretch as before, except instead of your toes point straight up and then towards your head, you point them outward, and pull the rope outward with the left hand only. 10 reps, switch sides, 10 reps.

Same position and stretch as before, except instead of your toes point straight up and then towards your head, you point them inward, and pull inward with the right hand only. 10 reps, switch sides, 10 reps.

Next, you're going to repeat the above 3 calf stretches, while sitting up, with knees bent about half-way.

Next, you're going to repeat the original 3 calf stretches, while sitting up, with knees bent all the way, the heel of your foot should be as close to your ass as you get it. When I get to this last set of stretches, I only use the rope for the first sub set. For the outward stretch, I grab my foot by placing my left arm on the outside of my left knee, placing the heel of my palm on the metatarsal that connects to my big toe, and wrapping my fingers around the ball of my foot. For the inward stretch, I modify the position by extending my right leg out in front of me, knee straight, then laying the outside of my left knee flat on the floor and pulling my heal into my nut sack. Then with my right hand, I reach underneath my foot and gently pull upward.

Back to regular stretches:

Standing thigh stretch
Ankle rotations, again
very light standing calf stretches just to feel for any unusual pain, etc.

10 minute warm up walk
Run
10 minute cool down walk

All regular stretches
Drink 1 gallon of water throughout the day

I'll try to contact the physical therapist to get the names of the above stretches that were taught to me, so maybe you can find examples of them on the net.

Now, the stretching is only half of the issue. The next part, you're not going to like, because you'll feel like a pussy for about 3 months.

Find a run/walk beginner's 3-month running schedule and stick to it. Basically all it is, is a run/walk interval that gradually increases the run time, and decreases the walk time over a period of 3 months. After the 3 months, if you stick strictly to the schedule, you will at least be able to run 3 miles/30 minutes. You'll need to modify the schedule to meet/exceed the Army PT test. What you're using the run/walk interval for is to gradually train your body to run.

You can do what you want with this advice, but I can tell you, from first-hand experience, running with shin-splints for your entire time in the Army fucking sucks. Build your self up the right way, and you'll be fine.