I played soccer up until 3 years ago. The last few years I played I had a hard time with the running because of shin splints. Is there anything I can do to avoid getting them? I live on a stretch of dirt road that is precisely 1 mile long, so going from one end to the other and back home is 2 miles, and I intend to make use of this standard unit of measurement until it snows. But I REALLY don't want to get shin splints again....
Invest in some REALLY good shoes, and some insoles if you need them. Consider going to a specialized shoe store that measures your walk and your arch and stuff!
I agree -- the shoes are essential. Also, don't forget to stretch those muscles. It seems walking is such a natural thing to do that we should have to do that, but it saves a lot of pain. If you're jogging or running, it's even more important!
You can do some excercises for your arches. Using a tennis ball and rolling it under your foot about 50x. Also you can use a frozen water bottle to do the same thing. Often times shin splints are due to low arches. I also use a large foam noodle and I sit on it with my shins (KILLS at first, however it helps to massage the muscle) and roll back and forth on it. I also ice my shins and ibuprofen is my friend. My orthotics are helpful as well.
Okay here is a stretch I learned years ago in some aerobics class but it works wonders for me (and several other people I have told about it) Lie on your back with both feet in the air and then alternate flexing your feet and pointing your toes - sometime I flex both, then point both, and then alternate feet flexing and pointing. I usually do it for 12 to 15 counts per set of pointing and flexing. Don't know why it works but it completely ended my shin splint issues. And ditto to what everybody else said about the getting good shoes fitted! Have fun!
if they are "true" shin splints than they are actually a tendonitis of the medial tibial tendon. Tis is an issue of either biomechanics or physiology. SOme people mistake the muscle burning sensation on the front of the shin with shin splints. If its just the muscle burning sensation that it will go away as your body gets used to running, or by stretching or whatever. If its actually shin splits, then its the tendon and the only real way to mitigate the probelm is with proper orthotics/running shoes. Stretching wont help tendonitis
Shin Splints
Hope this helps you get movin again.
