When I run, I get a horrible pain on the front of my shins, like the bone hurts! What could it be?

Question

I've heard of shin splints, but I don't really know about it. What can I do to make the pain stop?

Answer 1

ICE your shins 10-15 minutes 3X/day,take some advil if needed, this will help keep the inflamation and soreness down.  Good shoes is an asset, go to a specialty running store and have them fit you (they check your gait, pronation, stride, feet, etc.)

Shin splints cause pain in the front of the outer leg below the knee. The pain of shin splints is characteristically located on the outer edge of the mid region of the leg next to the shin bone (tibia). An area of discomfort measuring 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) in length is frequently present. Pain is often noted at the early portion of the workout, then lessens only to reappear near the end of the training session. A primary culprit causing shin splints is a sudden increase in distance or intensity of a workout schedule. This increase in muscle work can be associated with inflammation of the lower leg muscles, those muscles used in lifting the foot (the motion during which the foot pivots toward the tibia). Such a situation can be aggravated by a tendency to pronate the foot (roll it excessively inward onto the arch).

Treatment as stated above and maybe switch to pool running, cycling or swimming, to replace running (not permanent, just a break) or shorten your strides (many runners make this mistake), overstriding can cause shin splints and do some strengthening excercises.  Don't do too much too soon.

Answer 2

Sounds like shin splints to me...just try like a pain killer, if that doesn't work then it prob is shin splints and you would either have to go to a doc or wait it out. try looking at this...

Answer 3

You Have shin splints, before you run get a good non-impact warmup like a stationary bike or ellipsoidal machine.  After running use a contrast bath, soak in ice water up to your knees for 1 minute then in warm water for 1 minute repeat 5-10 times.  The warm up is the most important part, it will prevent the pain from coming back.  You only need to soak after running if you're in pain.  There is no lactic acid in your shins, the lactic acid is washed away as soon as fully oxygenated blood returns to the muscle.

Answer 4

change you running shoes you have shin splints

Answer 5

Shin splints! Ouch I feel your pain. If you rub them after you run (kinda like your rubbing them out) it helps a bunch!

Answer 6

That would be shin splints.  Yes, I agree, a different shoe would make a difference.  Maybe the 'surface' that you are running on too.

Answer 7

You probably have shin splints.

Remedy:

ice your shins

have somebody rub out the lactic acid in your shins

Answer 8

When I was in track in middle school I got them so bad I couldn't run anymore.  What the coaches told me to do was stand on a towel on a hard floor and scrunch the towel up with your toes.

Answer 9

Those are called "shin splints."

I get them often, and I run track, too. Here's how to prevent them:

Before you run you should do your standard stretches and then do this exercise known as "duck-walks."  You have to walk around on your heels with your ball of your foot and your toes pointed up as high as you can.  Walk around this way for about 20 yards.  That should prevent shin-splints.

Hope this helped.

Answer 10

That's definately shin splints. I personally know how bad those hurt, I'm a cross country runner and got them last season. However, I kept running on them and ended up with a level 4 tibia (shin) stress fracture (which is as bad as it gets).

Shin splints are caused by high impact running on hard or bumpy surfaces. They are very common, and can be fixed if caught right away. Shoes with support definately can help, but that's not the biggest issue. The biggest advice I can give is take a few days off distance running: ride a bike and go swimming for 1 or 2 days, then work back into running very slowly.

If they get worse, go to a doctor and get a MRI, to make sure it's not a fracture... then you'll need a very large and annoying boot-like cast.

So:

1. Stretch: -walk on heels

      -move foot of bad leg up and down, left to right

2. Rest

3. Ice after running or 15 minutes

Answer 11

That sounds like shin splints.  You get those from running on uneven ground (like a lawn), from wearing sneakers that are not right for running, and from not warming up before you run.

Make sure that you have good running shoes.  And try to only run on the road/sidewalk or flat trails.  Finally be sure to warm up good before running with some nice stretches.  That, and rest (a break for a few days) will help!