Training with Shin Splints

I

ilanag3

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Apr 23, 2016
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I'm a rising freshmen who's interested in army ROTC (as some of you may know from previous posts). Anyways, I've recently been inflicted wit shin splints. Ugh. So my backstory is this: 18, female, didn't do any school athletics in high school (horseback riding only) and I didn't really begin training seriously for the apft until May. I'm good on sit ups (64 in 2 min), and I'm currently at 16 push ups (I started from 0, and as a girl I'm pretty proud of how far I've come, but I know I will be able to do at least 19 when schools starts), and around an 8:40 1 mile time. So obviously my problem is the run. I started with just running/taking a few walk breaks on cross country dirt paths for aprox. 2 miles 3-4x a week, and that was fine, no pain. But recently I've started running on pavement and my HS track to time myself, and now I have shin splints. I haven't even been running far, just 1-1.5 miles 3-4 times a week, but my shins just hurt so much now when run, and everything I've read says not to keep running if you have pain.

So now I don't know what to do...I need to keep training so I can pass the apft when I get to campus (even though I'm non-scholarship, I really want to make a good impression), but I can't risk being injured when I get there. For the past couple days I've been using my gym's set-your-own-stride elliptical, which gives me a pretty good workout where I can get my HR up, but is that enough?

If you have any ideas on what I should be doing for a training plan to avoid further injuring myself, anything would be MUCH appreciated!
 
Imo, you've found a good alternate. As long as your cardio is pumping you will see improvement to your running (although not as much as if it were actually running)

I had shin splints throughout high school. They got much worse my Junior year as I began to train harder for Army/Football/Track. I was told I should rest, as you know, but that just wasn't an option for me.
I ramped up the training a bit more and eventually they just went away. I am now entering my sophomore year of college and haven't had shin splints in well over a year and a half.

Look into professionally done inserts for your shoes as well, they did wonders for my father.

TLDR: Shin splints suck. They say you should rest, but sometimes that isn't an option. Find alternative ways to get cardio, or be prepared to push through.
 
Look up some stretches to help alleviate the shin splints, and slow the progress of your running (ie run the same distances and intensities until the problem drops).

Keep on trucking. I failed my first two PFAs, now Im just as good as the rest of my det.
 
There are some things to do for shin splints. If you haven't been active much previously, that's probably why you're suffering from them now. As a horsewoman myself, I spent a lot of time in boots. One time we lost some horse blankets out of the bed of the pickup on the interstate. I had to run down the pavement, in my boots, and get them out of traffic. I had the worst shin splints after that. Irrelevant, but your story reminded me! You really need to get some good running shoes. Spend the money. Go to a store that specializes in running and have a trained associate evaluate your gate. They should have you jog across their parking lot...away from them and then back again. They will recommend the right type of shoe to achieve the proper support for your running style. This webpage has some good advice. http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/content/shin-splints/
 
Shin splints are usually caused by not stretching the calf muscle.
Go to YouTube to see videos from Navy Seal training physical therapist
 

Doing the Egoscue stretches/exercises in this video would be helpful in combatting shin splints (as well as Plantar Fasciitis).
 
@ilanag3

Based on my experience:
1) Best way to prevent shin splints is to stretch thoroughly after your run.
2) Buy the foam rollers [or go to a gym that has one] and use them at the end of the run. Make it a part of your routine stretching regimen, they help quiet a bit.
3) Good pair of shoes do help. Get a new pair after about 400 miles on a pair of shoes.
4) Ibuprofen or motrin helps.
5) More importantly rest. Make sure your training regimen gives your body time to get used to the new work out. Build it up slowly and incrementally.
Despite this you may still get shin splints. If so take a day or two off and then re start.

Good luck.
 
My son had what he thought were shin splints his senior year. Tried to train differently and work thru it. He ended up having a stress fracture that the only cure was time off.

Make sure what you have is actually shin splints and not something else.
 
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