Shin Splints?

Jordaw - you CAN get a very serious injury from shin splints. They can lead on to a stress fracture, or depending on the actual cause of the shin splints, you could also be looking at acute compartment syndrome, which could lead on to necrosis, with the possibility of amputation being very real.

Yes, these are worst case scenarios, but they are also a very real possibility if you try to run through the pain.

 

Bodi - I know you CAN get a very serious injury from shin splints. If your not stupid, you don't. Jumping rope is not gonna make it worse and if you go to a running store and get a good shoe fitted than you can run as long as you ice a few minutes afterwards. I have had shin splints many times and it really doesn't take any effort to keep them from progressing into anything worse. I stand by what i said in that it really is just an irritating injury rather than something that leads to something bad.

 

Ok, Jordaw, I respect you for standing by what you said earlier, but let me ask you this. What if this problem isn't Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (which you seem to be assuming it is, based on your advice), and it is actually Acute Compartment syndrome? Same symptoms initially, and no running shoes or ice will help with this. Any further running, or skipping will make this condition worse, which as I said earlier can lead to surgery, with amputation being a very real possibility.

It is very difficult to give accurate medical advice over the internet, so I feel that it is always best to not rule anything out.

You may have had success with your shin splints; however, the name 'shin splints' is a generic name which covers many conditions, and as such, what works for one person doesn't necessarily mean that it will work for another.

 

Just skip anything that involves placing stress on your shins ie running, skipping, jumping etc. If you feel pain, stop what you are doing.

 

It's a case of suck it and see. A decent pair of trainers 'might' help, it depends if the cause of your shin splints is overpronation, which alongside overuse is the most common cause.

A couple of weeks of resting as much as possible should see the pain go away. Once the pain has gone, re-introduce light skipping or running on a soft surface and monitor how things go. If you experience more pain following rest and new trainers then it's time to consult a doctor. It could be that a sports injury therapist might be the best bet, but I always advocate a doctor as a first port of call as they can rule out any medical conditions.

See how tonight goes, and let me know if you feel any pain.

 

Get proper shoes and have a runner show you the proper way to run to avoid shin splints --- proper stride, keeping the head at one plane without bouncing up and down, smooth rolling off the ball of your feet, etc.