Shin Splints

NROTCHOPEFULDAD

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During DS preparation for Plebe summer he has gotten shin splints, does anyone have any useful advice as to what he can or should do?
 
During DS preparation for Plebe summer he has gotten shin splints, does anyone have any useful advice as to what he can or should do?

Take it easy on the training and make sure he's fully recovered before resuming. The last thing you want to do is come to plebe summer partially injured (like me) and be on chit for half the summer.
 
During DS preparation for Plebe summer he has gotten shin splints, does anyone have any useful advice as to what he can or should do?

RICE

Rest

Ice...my son (a certified personal trainer) recommends putting a dixie cup (the one you buy at the store not the cover you'll wear plebe summer :biggrin: ) of water in the freezer. Now and once he's feeling up to it, after every run, rub the ice directly on the shins. This will help reduce swelling of the tissues of the lower leg.

Compression

Elevation

Make sure he has good shoes. Go to a running store that can fit him properly. They won't be any more expensive and you'll get better advice than from the guy who spent yesterday working over in the fishing department.
 
You just took me back to my soccer days.... shin splints and twisted ankles.


Which is slightly better than my current hockey days of torn shoulders and broken ribs... (ah, but if only for the love of the game!)

Just give your legs a rest and a rub down (the painful kind) and ice.

:thumb:
 
Also something to think about, has he always gotten shin splints when he runs?
One factor may be stress..."OMG, I'm leaving in x days and I can run fast enough or far enough yet!"
So he changes his gait or his stride and that is what is now causing the shin splints.
Just a thought.
 
Inserts

During DS preparation for Plebe summer he has gotten shin splints, does anyone have any useful advice as to what he can or should do?
You have received some good tips. When I developed shin splints a while ago my buddy's girlfriend was a marathoner. She recommended ice and rest but when I started running again, buy new inserts for a little added padding in the heel cup. Never had shin splints again. I imagine now there's even better stuff out there to help with this. Cheers.
 
Shin splints are often caused by your muscles behind the shin bone not being strengthened enough, thus making your shin absorb the majority of the shock. Running coaches have suggested heel walks as a remedy. Have your DS walk for a few minutes each night on his heels. This will exercise those muscles and condition them properly for running.

Also, I've been told an alternate exercise is to fill a paint can with nuts, bolts, screws, etc. and put the handle over my foot. While sitting down, engage your shin muscles by lifting your the foot without moving your leg. In a week or so, this should clear it up.
 
Do exactly what osdad said, on the track team when ever someone gets shin sprints that's what we're told to do.
 
I've been around runners for a long time and have seen every imaginable injury. In a nut shell:

1) If you have pain stop the activity, ice, elevate and anti-inflamatory meds.
2) Before you resume the activity buy proper shoes. Visit a running store and have a gait analysis to determine if your an overpronator, supinator or neutal runner. The wrong shoe could be causing the problem.
3) Do not run on concrete. Find some dirt or soft surfaces until the problem is resovled.
4) If the pain continues cross train with low impact cardio exercise, swimming, eliptical, cycling.
5) Some people are just prone to shin splints. If you contine the runnign with pain it could result in a stress frature...this will take weeks or months to heal.
6) Research strengthing exercises for the calf. This helps with shin splints and aid in avoid achilles issues. Always stretch after running not before.

Lastly, listen to your body, don't run through pain, see a doctor if necessary. You'll be fine:thumb:
 
Thanks for all the advice. He is not running until next week (rest), taking some anti-inflamitory meds, stretching and strengthening his calf muscles, and I believe he will be visiting the running store this weekend. He has gotten shin splints a few of times over the past 4 years (usually at the very beginning of cross country season) and I let the coach handle it during practice. I am a football coach so don't have a lot of experience treating shin splints. I normally am dealing with impact and joint injuries which I have alot of experience with through my own injuries(two surgical procedures) and taking care of players.
 
Thanks for all the advice. He is not running until next week (rest), taking some anti-inflamitory meds, stretching and strengthening his calf muscles, and I believe he will be visiting the running store this weekend. He has gotten shin splints a few of times over the past 4 years (usually at the very beginning of cross country season) and I let the coach handle it during practice. I am a football coach so don't have a lot of experience treating shin splints. I normally am dealing with impact and joint injuries which I have alot of experience with through my own injuries(two surgical procedures) and taking care of players.

One last piece of advice to add to all of other great ones already. Shin splints can be caused by increasing the frequency and intensity of running too quickly. DS ran cross country and never developed shin splints until training for the CFA--where, in fact, we increased intensity and mileage very quickly. So I would suggest that as your son goes back into training, ramp up more slowly than USNA's suggested schedule and cross train (along with all of the other items suggested). :smile:

Best of luck!
 
This is for you LITS:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50143298n

Sincerely,
Vista123
(HockeyMom--and CoastGuard Sister)

Haha, thanks. I play in a men's league outside of DC. We're not THAT old, not yet.

The most fun I've had playing hockey was at the annual "Commandant's Cup," a Coast Guard (unofficial) hockey tournament in Mass. It's fun and it's constant. My team had a 1-star admiral (who we told would always be the "star of the game").

No admirals in my men's league, but we do play against a team that's captain is the CEO of Capital One.

Of course, talking to my parents a few weeks ago I got the scary "be careful, you're getting older and you can get hurt."
 
Well, it seems that everyone here did XC and not track? I'm doing long distance track and will do XC next season (+conditioning). We have athletes that get shin splits, but they don't really take a break/etc. Is it a lot less common to get shin splits from long distance track? Or do most candidates only do XC?
 
candidates do all kinds of sports, shin splints may be more common in cross country because they tend to train more on roads and sidewalks than long distance track.
 
help for shin splints

During DS preparation for Plebe summer he has gotten shin splints, does anyone have any useful advice as to what he can or should do?

Can't believe no one has mentioned this: :confused:I have gotten shin splints for years until I discovered compression sleeves! I have a pair that are lightweight washable for $50 at an exclusive running store and I also have a cheaper pair from Academy Sports for only @ $20 ...Both work great. I just have to wear them when I run and several hours afterward... It makes all the difference!
Hope it works!:biggrin:
 
My son is a marathoner, and he too uses compression sleeves, icing, anti-inflammatory meds and has had some success using KT Pro tape on his shins. Might be worth a try.
 
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