Sunday, December 13, 2009

How do I get ride of my shin splints?

In march i started to get the shin splint in my left leg. I iced it but still stayed active, running and jumping every other day. 4 weeks later I started to get one in my right leg. I still stayed active for 7 weeks again running and jumping every other day. Then I stopped for 2 weeks in hopes to heal them. Thursday and Friday this week I started running again and I think they have come back. How do I get rid of them.





I been icing them every day after I was active on the 2 week break i felt I didn't need to.How do I get ride of my shin splints?
Stretch your calves. Stand on the edge of a stair facing up. Put the ball of your foot on the edge of the stair and let your heel drop for a good stretch. Or, do like a lunge and press the heel of the foot in back toward the floor. Do this every time prior to running.How do I get ride of my shin splints?
Firstly i would recommend you consult a physical therapist or doctor.


The key is to allow as much rest as possible while using a treatment such as icing. Stretch your legs regularly to before and after exercise to prepare them for the rapid contracting and expanding of the muscle (you will get a burning feeling in your shin if you doing it right).


Finally make sure good trainers are being worn that support the whole foot,
HAHA omg iv had these so many times since i started running in the 5th grade. I HATE EM. EASIEST WAY...seriously..forget the doctors up above me....that's..like too much. all u need to do, is walk around on ur heals..yeah. that's it lol. or what you do is go on a sid walk. or a ledge and hang off it like put the top of ur shoes to the tip of the side walk..so the rest of ur shoe is hanging off...so ur balancing and stretching ur heals. they'll be gone within a few days..depending on how many times you do them. but i HIGHLY recommend as a runner, to walk around on ur heals. ice em if you want, but it wont do too much.
Stretch your calf muscles to help strengthen your legs. By strengthen your calf muscles, they can provide your legs with better support and stability, which may result in your shin splints going away.
Treatment and prognosis





[edit] Acute treatment


The immediate treatment for shin splints is rest. Running and other strenuous lower limb activities, like basketball and other sports which include flexing the muscle, should be avoided until the pain subsides and is no longer elicited by activity. In conjunction with rest, anti-inflammatory treatments such as icing and drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (in particular, NSAID gel) may be suggested by a doctor or athletic trainer. Over-the-counter pain relievers can also be taken, though there is some controversy over their effectiveness. Furthermore, the lower legs may be taped to stabilize and take some load off the periosteum. Finally, using good shoes (ideally compensating for individual foot differences) is important. The shin can be trained for greater static and dynamic flexibility through adaptation, which will diminish the contracting reflex, and allow the muscles to handle the rapid stretch. The key to this is to stretch the shins regularly. However, static stretching might not be enough. To adapt a muscle to rapid, eccentric contraction, it has to acquire greater dynamic flexibility as well. One way to work on the dynamic flexibility of the anterior shin is to subject it to exaggerated stress, in a controlled way, such as walking on the heels. If the muscle is regularly subject to an even greater dynamic, eccentric contraction than during the intended exercise, it will become more capable of handling the ordinary amount of stress. Experienced long-distance runners practice controlled downhill running as a part of training, which places greater eccentric loads on the quadriceps as well as on the shins. A physical therapist, athletic trainer, or doctor should be consulted before engaging in this type of training.








[edit] Long-term treatment


The long-term remedy for muscle-related pain in the shin is a change in the running style to eliminate the overstriding and heavy heel strike.[citation needed]





Sprinting is performed on the toes, as is some middle-distance running. In most middle to long-distance running, striking with the heel, rolling through the foot and pushing off the ball is the most efficient. Competitive runners vary in styles, but as distance increases, more runners tend towards striking with the heel or mid-foot as the natural gait of the body - most marathoners can be seen to strike with the heel.[5] Striking solely with the forefoot over distance focuses stress on the calves and underuses the hamstrings. Moreover in preventing shin-splints, heel-striking offers the best shock absorption and natural form, reducing impact stress on the calf and shin muscles.[6]





In both postures, the center of gravity is directly over the foot. Physics requires this, because it is the condition that prevents a body from falling over. An object falls over when its centre of gravity shifts too far one way or the other outside of the range of its supporting base. Arching the back shifts the body's centre of gravity towards the rear, so that the legs must tilt forwards to compensate; shifting the weight towards the ball of the foot, and to the toes. Bending forwards at the waist has the opposite effect: the legs tilt backwards at the ankle, shifting the weight towards the heels.





During running, the centre of gravity changes dynamically. Because for most of the running cycle a drive leg extends backwards, the torso appears to tilt forwards to compensate for this. This forward tilt is similar to what happens in a standing position when one leg is raised from the ground and extended backwards. Inexperienced runners observe this forward tilt in professional athletes and attempt to imitate it by bending at the waist, which isn't the same thing. In the forwards tilt, the torso and extended leg still form a straight line; or even a slight backwards curve. Further irritation can lead to muscle separating, or detaching, from the bone.





The shin muscles can also be somewhat alleviated by footwear and choice of surface. Runners who strike heavily with the heel should look for shoes which provide ample rear foot cushioning. Such shoes may be referred to as ';stability'; or ';motion control'; shoes. The so-called ';neutral'; shoes for bio-mechanically efficient runners may not have adequate support in the heel, because the runners for whom these shoes are intended do not require it. When their cushioning capability degrades, the shoes should be replaced. The commonly recommended replacement interval for shoes is 300-400 miles (480-640 kilometres).[7] Excessive pronation can be reduced by extra supports under the arch. Running shoes which have a significant supporting bump under the arch are called ';motion control'; shoes, because they work by limiting the pronating motion. Also shoes with cushion shock features and shoe inserts can help prevent future problems.





Runners who race over rough terrain such as cross-country runners tend to tape ju
How were shin splints treated?





Previously, two different treatment management strategies were used: total rest or a ';run through it'; approach. The total rest was often an unacceptable option to the athlete. The run through it approach was even worse. It often led to worsening of the injury and of the symptoms.





Currently, a multifaceted approach of ';relative rest'; is successfully utilized to restore the athlete to a pain-free level of competition.








What is the multifaceted ';relative rest'; approach?





This multifaceted approach includes:





Workouts such as stationary bicycling or pool running: These will allow maintenance of cardiovascular fitness.


Icing reduces inflammation.


Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin); naproxen (Aleve/Naprosyn), are also a central part of rehabilitation.


A 4-inch wide Ace bandage wrapped around the region also helps reduce discomfort.


Calf and anterior (front of) leg stretching and strengthening addresses the biomechanical problems discussed above and reduce pain.


Pay careful attention to selecting the correct running shoe based upon the foot type (flexible pronator vs. rigid supinator). This is extremely important. In selected cases, shoe inserts (orthotics) may be necessary.


Stretching and strengthening exercises are done twice a day.


Run only when symptoms have generally resolved (often about two weeks) and with several restrictions:


A level and soft terrain is best.


Distance is limited to 50% of that tolerated preinjury.


Intensity (pace) is similarly cut by one half.


Over a three-six week period, a gradual increase in distance is allowed.


Only then can a gradual increase in pace be attempted.


Caveat!





The amount of injury that occurs prior to any rehabilitation program plays a significant role in determining the time frame necessary for complete recovery.





Shin Splints At A Glance


Shin splints are a type of ';overuse injury'; to the legs.


The pain is characteristic and located on the outer edge of the mid region of the leg next to the shin bone (tibia). It can be extreme and halt workouts.


The diagnosis requires a careful focused examination.


A multifaceted approach of ';relative rest'; can restore a pain- free level of activity and a return to competition.


The ';relative rest'; approach includes a change in the workout, ice, rest, antiinflammation medications, stretching exercises, possible change in footwear, and gradual increase in running activities

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