I started running 2 May's ago. At first, man oh man, right up into the middle of LAST summer I would have extreme shin pain. To the point of not being able to walk down the stairs.. and MOST CERTAINLY not being able to run the next day. I ALSO could produce pain by pressing my fingers onto my shins up and down the shin/bone area.
BUT, thankfully things have changed, and i'll try to add insight on why and how.
-New shoes (I went to a New Balance outlet and they picked a selection of shoes for me to choose from based on what I asked for, I didn't even look at shoes on the wall)
-Orthotic insoles. They hold my foot up and reduce pronation. Not much more to add but they have helped BIG TIME.
-When I had pain, I rested, for sometimes up to 3 weeks. And whenever returning to running, ALWAYS ease in. I became fed up in late summer of last year, and even though I had run 4km's before.. I re-started my running regimen at 1.2km, 3 times per week. Each week I would add 1 SINGLE LAP. Never 2 more.. had to stay the course. Things overall began to look up for me and my running from this point on.
-Stretching (more stretches and better stretches). But also sitting Seiza-style (google it, it will come right up). It would produce a satisfying click/clack almost pressure reducing sensation in my knees. I think that has helped with making my knees a little looser and more flexible. Furthermore, gently pressing down on your achilles heel area while sitting seiza seems to flatten or stretch the front of your shin. Now, use at your own risk, I would ease into sitting like this.
-Lastly, I think TIME has helped also. I think FINALLY my legs/shins had developed to a point in which they were used to the pounding of running. I'm no doctor but I believe over time, and through rest periods, my legs were able to adapt to this new element of my life, frequent running.
So I started running about 15 months ago, and it took about 10 months to get a point where I could run regularly, with decent distances.
With all that being said, sure sometimes after a run I have some discomfort.. but the difference is it's sometimes, not everytime. And when there is some discomfort, it goes away within 15 mins or half an hour. Also the discomfort is different, its like fatigue not trauma lol
Well this has been quite the post lol..I'm heading to Borden for Sept 11. After this post, when we meet on the track or trail at Borden don't expect me to be a Simon Whitfield or anything, i'm not a special runner by any means lolol.. But I have gone through the shin splint BULLCRAP and wanted to just say you're not alone and it can be overcome!
