Shin Splint Treatment
Carol Pearson
I'm Carol J Pearson a Personal Trainer who has dealt with Shin Running Pain for a number of years. If you would like to discover how you can successfully treat them please follow the link.
In my job as a Massage Therapist, I see a lot of people who do a lot of running; shin pain is one of their major ailments and running shin splints can cause them substantial discomfort and problems.
My major difficulty arises when I inform them they will have to curtail their training. They go white and look as though they have been shot! "Running is my life. I'd rather hack off one of my legs! I can't they whine...I've got a 10k race in 6 months, and I have to be fit." At this point, I explain, that if they ignore my advice, they'll not be running for a long time.
There are many causes of shin splints:
Incorrect shoes. What you wear on your feet should be correctly fitted. Some people simply are not built for distance running; most successful runners are ectomorphs, which means they are by nature lean and light-boned. A high level of fitness is not going to compensate for a very large frame.
High impact training (a lot of it) can contribute to developing shin splints.
Having tight leg muscles. Poor posture when running, which causes muscle dissymmetry.
Running pain is caused when the muscle on the front of the lower leg gets tight and strained. Inflammation results, and this pulls on the thin skin that covers the shin bone - hence the painful soreness that shin splints bring. Rest from the activity that caused the splint is really the only remedy; along with ice to reduce the inflammation. After 4 days or so, massage Therapy can be helpfulto relax the muscle, and sometimes I apply heat at this stage. I also teach my client to stretch; flexible muscles are much less inclined to trauma than short tight ones.
Some people believe stretching is a waste of exercise time. I think the exact opposite! You wouldn't believe the difference regular stretching makes to muscles. I'm talking about correct stretching here, not just the kind you do in bed. If you are a gym member you should be taught the right stretches, which should be done after every training session, run or swim.
Once you have had shin splints, you are likely to get them again, so it is a great idea to look at your conditioning programme and vary things - it is well worth having a session with a Sports Therapist and asking for their guidance. Here are a couple of ideas:
Don't always do the same cardio training. Put in some variety.
Warming up for at least 5 minutes is very important as it prepares your muscles for running.
Stretch after your run, not before.
Strengthen your leg muscles by adding some weight training to your program.
Use ice when you've completed your run / training.
Your body recovers during resting periods - don't over train. Replace your shoes regularly and always check for signs of uneven wear Go to a Pilates class once a week this will help you to develop better core stability.
Happy Running!
Good Luck.
Carol J Pearson (Sports Therapist) http://tubby2toned.com/injuries-running/shin-splint-treatment.htm
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