Rhett

Hope it is just inflammation. I had tibial stress fractures a few years ago and they are painful. Maybe take a break from downhill running until after the marathon. That seems to aggravate the shins more than anything.

I certainly hope it's nothing, Rhett. You know what to do to take care. Nice job, by the way, on the fastest five miles you've ever run. Very nice.

Great run and pace! Sorry to hear about the pain in your shin. Sounds like you are being smart about it though. Hope it heals up fast with UVM less then 4 weeks away!! :) I would try rolling it also, and of course ice and IB to help with inflamation. Tyler used to have all sorts of problems with his shins and that seemed to help most!! Good luck! And again, great run!!!

Rhett --

I worry about you. Listen ... there are a couple of layman ways to test for a stress fracture. By any chance do you have a tuning fork? Also, another way is to have someone try and bend your bone ... As if you were making an arc out of your tibia ... does that make sense? If there is no pain you are likely looking more at inflammation, shin splints, nerve issues, tendonitis, etc ...

With anterior compartment syndrome I was always worried about stress fractures because it hurt so dang bad. It was a huge relief every time I would have Ry try and bend the bone and it didn't increase the pain.

You can, of course, do the hop test as well ... but that can be deceiving because things other than stress fractures can cause pain when doing that. Seriously, perhaps sit on a table put something steady under the middle of the bone, and have Doone or someone put pressure on the upper and lower part of the tibia and/or fibula.

Also, perhaps the pain is coming from the anterior tibilias pulling away from the interosseus membrane that is between the two bones. If that is the case, some kinesio tape anchored laterally and pulled medially over the pain might help tremendously. Just some thoughts.

Sending lots of "it's not a stress fracture" vibes your way.

Keep me up to date. I know that I am no where near professional advice, but it is helpful for me to think through these things.

You're a rockstar. You will figure this out.

Sorry about the lengthy post.

Andy, when you had your stress fracture, was it diagnosed with an MRI or with other tests? Did they just have you rest for 6 to weeks?

Dale, thanks. I was trying to do the 5 miles under 30 minutes... missed it by 15 seconds.

Kelli, thanks for the advice. Hopefully I'll be able to keep training. I feel like I am faste with more endurance than I've ever been. I would hate not to get to test it out at UVM due to injury.

Teena, I love your long post. It even made me laugh when you asked if I had a tuning fork. So really, you want me to have someone try and bend my bones? What if they snap my leg? Then I'd really be in trouble. I have been trying the KT tape for the last few weeks without much help. The compression sleeve seems to give more relief. My training is going so well right now. I just want to get in another week and a half of hard workouts and then start my taper for UVM. Hopefully during the taper, everything will take care of itself... as long as it is not a stress fracture.

I ran on mine for 6 weeks before going to the doctor (had them in both legs at the same time). By the time I went they were already in the healing phase and were visible on the x-ray. I only took a week off but know that is not what you are supposed to do.

The fact that the compression sleeves help and they feel better after a couple of miles is a good sign.

Your tibia is not going to snap in half silly!!! It is such a strong bone!!!! She won't really be able to bend it!!! But the compression on both sides will cause pain if there is a stres fracture. Seriously ... do you have a tuning fork? That's how they would test for them in the olden days!

The fact that the compression sleeves help makes me believe that if you KT tape it appropriately that it will also help.

I love my compression sleeves. In fact, Smooth and I are going to buy her a pair today! She is on the elliptical while I am on the bike right now in my basement!! :)

Oh yes Rhett, I'm really hoping the we have a cool morning with a stiff wind pushing us down and out of the canyon!!!!

Teena, are you saying I don't know how to properly apply KT tape? :)

I had one of my staff member try and snap my leg bone. I didn't snap!!! And it didn't hurt! Yea! I guess it is just some severe inflamation or one of those other things you listed. I guess that means I get to keep training hard as long as I can take the pain!!!!!!

NOOOOO!! That doesn't mean that!!!! Silly hardcore boy!!! Take it easy for a few days. If the muscles completely tears away from the periostium or interosseus membrane you will be in trouble for a much longer time. Let it heal. Just take it easy until the pain subsides substantially. PLEASE!!!!

Glad your bone did not snap!!!! :) :) :)

You and Teena are so funny!

I am not a physician, but I would think that the way you described it as coming from an abrupt specific incident (your bad foot strike) it is more likely to be a stress fracture than inflammation. As Charles Barkley would say "I may be wrong, but I doubt it."

Rhett...I'm sorry to hear about your pain. People, let's stop getting injured out there! Ok? I'm sending some healing vibes your way...hey, wait, put that magic bracelet around your ankle..it might just work! :)

Mack, that is what has me worried. The real sudden sharp pain with the one miss step. I'm hoping Teena's "bend the bone" test is correct though, because I didn't have any real pain when I tried that. Maybe I should go by a tuning fork. Are those expensive?

Teena, by the way. What exactly do you do with the tuning fork.

Marc, I'm trying the magic braclet. It's not working! :( And I did try putting it on my ankle, but it is too small.

Rhett, I can't imagine that tuning forks are that expensive. BUT ... there is dispute on whether or not this old test really does work. From what I understand is that you can't completely rule out a stress fracture with this test, but if it does cause pain then you can almost guarantee that it is a stress fracture. The concept is that when you put the tuning fork on the area of the fracture that the vibrating fork will cause the two pieces of the bone to rub against each other and cause pain. If you do try it, make sure you don't initially put it directly on the area, but around it, and then slowly move it to the area. Matt, a PT whom has helped me tremendously, uses the fulcrum (bending of the bone) test and the tuning fork with me quite often because anterior compartment syndrome pretty much mimics a tibial stress fracture. Honestly, I think the best thing would be to just cross train for a few days and see if the pain subsides. Just fyi, my anterior compartment syndrome flares up the worst when I do hill work -- especially downhill running. Also, if there is a lot of inflammation sometimes the wrong step will aggrevate that superficial and/or deep peroneal nerve causing pretty sharp pain.

How do you feel today?

Thanks for the info Teena.

It is definitely sore today. The first few steps walking are always the worst, but once I get going it isn't too bad. I was a good boy and took it easy with my cross training today. I better blog that.