leg pain at OCS?

[DaveI]

I second the foam roller... that thing is amazing.

I used to get shin splints too as I started to get older and run less. My doctor gave me a few remedies to try though which worked well:

1.) Take 7-10 days off from running. Take Aleve 3x daily for those days as it should reduce inflammation. Also ice during that period daily and stretch.

2.) Get new running shoes with better support in the Mid-Sole. I find that the Mizuno Achievement's have the best support in a light shoe, but some people find that the Aysics and Brooks have better stability for their foot shape.

3.) Try the foam roller!

4.) Keep stretching several times a day, even on off days and ice after every run.

5.) Try to change your breathing to promote better oxygen supply to your extremities. This worked very well for me as I was a mouth breather when I ran in the past. If you are running very fast, inhale through the nose and out through the mouth. If you are running at a decent pace or jogging, inhale and exhale through the nose only. It will be harder at first and may slow you down for now, but you will come back with way better breathing habits and feel like you get better blood flow.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I second the foam roller... that thing is amazing.

I used to get shin splints too as I started to get older and run less. My doctor gave me a few remedies to try though which worked well:

1.) Take 7-10 days off from running. Take Aleve 3x daily for those days as it should reduce inflammation. Also ice during that period daily and stretch.

2.) Get new running shoes with better support in the Mid-Sole. I find that the Mizuno Achievement's have the best support in a light shoe, but some people find that the Aysics and Brooks have better stability for their foot shape.

3.) Try the foam roller!

4.) Keep stretching several times a day, even on off days and ice after every run.

5.) Try to change your breathing to promote better oxygen supply to your extremities. This worked very well for me as I was a mouth breather when I ran in the past. If you are running very fast, inhale through the nose and out through the mouth. If you are running at a decent pace or jogging, inhale and exhale through the nose only. It will be harder at first and may slow you down for now, but you will come back with way better breathing habits and feel like you get better blood flow.

Does modifying breathing technique really do much?

I've been mouthbreathing for a long time.

 

[Jynx]

Does modifying breathing technique really do much?

I've been mouthbreathing for a long time.

The trick there is to build up a rhythm of in through your nose and out through your mouth. That way your lungs have a more steady stream of fresh oxygen to pump through your bloodstream.
Will it take you from 1 mile to 5? No. But will that technique help prevent those annoying cramps around mile 3? Possibly/Probably. YMMV

 

[DaveI]

The trick there is to build up a rhythm of in through your nose and out through your mouth. That way your lungs have a more steady stream of fresh oxygen to pump through your bloodstream.
Will it take you from 1 mile to 5? No. But will that technique help prevent those annoying cramps around mile 3? Possibly/Probably. YMMV

What this really does in increase the carbon dioxide level in your lung to supply more oxygen to the rest of your body. There's some books on this and I'd say that it made a big difference for me... then again I ran in puma's the other day like a dumba** and now my legs are gonna need some ice for a few days.

 

[Jokes]

Does modifying breathing technique really do much?

I've been mouthbreathing for a long time.

It seems too good to be true, and it's a little weird at first, but breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth helped me in my running tremendously. I always used to get out of breath on my runs, since the switch I can run a lot longer.