"A Hefty Hunk Of Steamin Junk"

Clay,

I dealt with shinsplints quite a bit during high school, and have struggled with it off and on later in life as well. Is your tibia sore on the inside or outside of your leg? Shinsplints is usually an overuse type injury that you see with a combination of things - too much, too fast, too hard, poor biomechanics (i.e. overpronation) coupled with shoes that are not providing adequate cushioning/stability. I had problems with shinsplints in high school because I did not run cross-country, and didn't run during the winter, so my body was not prepared for the stress of track season. Later on, my issues with shinsplints have often been similar - start up training and do too much, too fast, too hard, and my leg muscles are unable to deal with the added stresss, or wearing shoes that were not right for me. For me, there have been several things that have been important to avoid it: 1. gradual increases in my training (both distance and speed), 2. proper shoes with additional arch supports if necessary (I mildly overpronate), and 3. making sure I don't put too many miles on my shoes before I replace them. In terms of treating, in addition to the NSAIDS (motrin or aleve, not tylenol) you can also fill a smaller waste basket (rectangular shape) with ice water, and soak your leg (yeah, that always feels good for the first 5 minutes) for about 15 minutes, and you can also try wearing a compression wrap, or taping it (just make sure you shave your legs first) - there should be taping methods shown online. Another thing you can do is exercises to strengthen the muscles in the front part of your lower leg (mainly the tibialis anterior, which is on the outside of your lower leg). The best thing to do for that is kind of like tapping your feet - keeping your heels on the ground, use your muscles to flex your feet up (dorsiflexion)Couple sets of 10-20 reps can help strengthen those muscles. These have been things that helped me. Sorry for the huge post, but I feel like I can actually contribute knowledge here . . .

Thanks James. The pain is on the inside of the shin, and how many miles on my shoes should I think about replacing, I rotate between 3 different pairs of shoes. I do have a compression wrap but I haven't been using it but I think I will start, I will do the ice thing as well. Thanks for all the info I'm sure it will help...

That's exactly where I have gotten mine in the past. That is considered to be "posterior shinsplints" - don't ask my why. In terms of replacing shoes - everyone is different. Typically it is recommended somewhere between 300-400 miles, but some shoes may break down quicker than others. One way you can tell is to look at the outside of your midsole - in between the upper and the outsole. If it is all scrunched and wrinkled, that is a sign that the midsole (which provides the cushioning and stability) is breaking down and cannot provide the cushioning and support your feet need. Do you keep track of the miles on your shoes?