shin splints

[scottwith1t]

I ramped up too fast with crappy shoes on hard concrete last December to get ready for my PFA with the recruiter. Passed the test but I was in severe pain from my shin for a good week after that and then light pain in certain situations including pressure for about a month after that.

So I stopped all running until about mid-Feb (8 weeks-ish). I ran through water on pavement to see how my feet landed and they seemed to land just fine, no flat foot but no super high arch so I went and purchased cushioning shoes.

About mid-Feb I started jogging again and the pain has come back damn near instantly however not yet as bad as it was in December. Ibuprofen and ice helps a lot but I'd rather not have to rely on drugs to run.

Right where the pain seems to be is a hard lump on my shin. I do not have this lump on the opposite leg.

Mid last week I got the call that I got final select for OCS starting at the end of March, which I'm excited about but I don't want to go injured. I already asked the recruiter to push it back by two weeks for work reasons so I might have an extra two weeks to recover but this hasn't been confirmed yet.

So yesterday I went to a doctor who performed an x-ray and felt up my shins. He said the X-ray seemed just fine and said it was probably just shin splints and I was prescribed a heavy dose of ibuprofen. The doctor said the place I was having pain isn't really common for stress fractures (just a little bit north of half way down my shin). He suggested that if I wanted to I should go see an orthopedic doctor for a second look.


So now I'm concerned. My absolute worst fear is to show up at OCS and be told to go home because of an undiagnosed stress fracture. Is this something they do and can you come back?

What are the chances that the recruiter can have them push my OCS date back because of shin splints or (hopefully not) stress fracture? I have not sworn in or signed any paperwork yet.

I do intend to go see an orthopedic doctor as soon as I can find one that is accepting new patients and accepts my insurance

 

[phrogpilot73]

I thought I had a stress fracture as well, and it turned out it was shin splints. Try stretching your shin splints before running, taking Aleve (naproxen - I find that it's a better anti-inflam then ibuprofen) and ice massaging your shins after running. The easiest way to ice massage is to fill styrofoam cups with water and freezing them. Then pull it out, and start tearing away some of the foam cup.

 

[Gatordev]

To add to Phrog's recs... To build up your shins (as it's your calves that are pulling your "shin muscle" away from the bone because it's not strong enough), walk around for several minutes at a time on your heals, pointing your toes up. Do it inside your home, as you look retarded, but it does work. As Phrog said, stretch them as well. In HS, I got them running track my first year. There's a lot of other tidbits on this site to help, too (along w/ the rest of the interweb).

 

[voodooqueen]

First, check out your form. Are you rolling through your metatarsil arch or are you pronating or suppanating (rolling in or out on your feet)? Check your old shoes and see if they are worn on the inside or outside. Then take a walk and be super-conscious of whether your toes point straight, if you are getting full range of motion when rolling through the center of your feet, or if you are landing not on your heels but farther forward on your feet. You most likely have a chronic problem with your form that encourages shin splints. Keep a slight bend in your knees also.

To fix them there is one exercise that has been recommended to me. Stand about an arms length (less a slight bend in your elbow) out from a wall; then, turn your feet with your toes pointed slightly inward. Do push-ups to the wall, staying centered on your feet. This encourages the shin-splints to mend.

 

[armada1651]

To add to Phrog's recs... To build up your shins (as it's your calves that are pulling your "shin muscle" away from the bone because it's not strong enough), walk around for several minutes at a time on your heals, pointing your toes up. Do it inside your home, as you look retarded, but it does work. As Phrog said, stretch them as well. In HS, I got them running track my first year. There's a lot of other tidbits on this site to help, too (along w/ the rest of the interweb).

That's really good advice and I'll add a little to it....while you're sitting in class, do toe raises - just keep your heels planted and lift your toes up over and over and over again, until it hurts. That'll help balance out the muscles in your leg - i.e., make your shins strong enough that your calves don't pull those muscles away from the bone, like gator explained. I was told to do that to avoid shin bang in skiing and it's worked really well.

 

[Gatordev]

That's really good advice and I'll add a little to it....while you're sitting in class, do toe raises - just keep your heels planted and lift your toes up over and over and over again, until it hurts.

I was trying to figure out how to write that, and "toe raises" is exactly what I couldn't come up with. I did those, as well, and they were a big help.

 

[scottwith1t]

Thanks for the tips!

I've got an orthopedic appointment tomorrow afternoon to make sure nothing is structurally wrong. I hate to go because it could potentially delay my entry but then again I'd hate to show up at OCS only to be sent home from something I could have healed up before I arrived.

Do they actually send you home for stress fractures or do you get to participate in H-Class until your good to go?

 

[Airyk17]

also if you have to run run on grass or dirt the pounding on hard pavement helps cause shin splints, also you don't have to run to stay in shape theres always swimming and bike riding

 

[wirefire2]

Go see a sports medicine doctor, check your local hospital. I have the same problem and they helped me a lot.

Two things: proper shoes. There is a shoe for everyone. I had shoes for someone with a high arch when I had low arches and I ended up shin splints.

Second when you start running again, take it easy and go slow, build yourself back up.

Also ice your shins for 15 mins a day on the sore spot. Use a sandwich bag and massage your leg, it helps big time.

I got all of this from the sports medicine doctor and I'm slowly recovering without a stress fracture. Lastly consider running on a treadmill, I know it can be boring but you get better cushioning and you can control your speed so you don't over pace yourself. You can also cross train on an elliptical machine, now at OCS I doubt this is allowed but for a PRT you can do the 'cardio' portion on an elliptical machine or exercise bike. Something to think about anyway.

 

[feddoc]

Don't forget to ask the ortho doc if you have flat feet. One of the more common causes of shin splints is over-stress of the metatarsal arch.

 

[scottwith1t]

The result from the ortho doc is shin splints.

The bumps on my shin is scar tissue that will go away with time and is nothing to worry about. The splints will go away when my muscles get used to running and as long as I keep in running shape after they go away I won't have any issues.

He also said basically what ya'll had said, damn near identical. Stretch using the tow up technique, ice massage with a dixie cup, push up against a wall, etc. He also said I could get a big rubber band or even a towel and rope it under my foot and do those exercises.

Also got an anti inflammatory to help with the symptoms.

So I'm much relieved as its nothing that'll keep me from continuing

Just gotta hope the recruiter can push my OCS date back 2 weeks or I'll be in for painful shins unless I can bulk them up in the short time I have remaining.

 

[Kickflip89]

Is the pain on the inside of your shin or on the outside? If it's on the inside you may have purchased the wrong kind of shoes.

Cushioning shoes are for high arches. Stability is for neutral, and Motion Control is for low arches. If you've got pain on the inside of your shins, you might have low arches, in which case a good pair of motion control shoes (I have The Beast from Brooks), could help.

I had shin splints for about 6 weeks at OCS, but about a week in I started running in the correct kind of shoes which helped a lot (along with motrin). By the way, IT IS NOT WORTH IT to get stress fractures and have to heal in H. OCS is not a place you want to be for longer than 12 weeks.

 

[MasterBates]

Brooks BEAST are great, if you are flat-ish footed.

Of course, custom orthodics in them are even mo betta.

 

[wirefire2]

Shoes

As far as shoes go, I've been told over and over again by multiple shoe salespeople (have to be PC folks) from different stores that Asics makes the best running shoes right now. I have to agree, they don't fall apart and they make a lot of different types for different arches but the prices are fairly steep.

 

[MandaK]

The asic gel kayano is a great shoe. I used to get shin splints on long distance runs. Since I have had that shoe, I haven't had any issues.

Besides icing and walking with your toes in the air, try writing your ABCs in the air with your foot. Repeat the alphabet as necessary. Good luck.