In high school I was pretty active and was on a few sports teams and I had no problem at all with running for extended periods of time on our conditioning days.

However, since putting on all this weight I have found I have really bad shin splints when I run - even on the treadmill!! I've also noticed this pain during any high impact cardio classes etc.

That's why I like the elliptical - low impact. However, I am already getting used to it and it takes me much longer to build up a sweat and feel like I'm getting a workout, and I want to switch things up. I also want to be able to run outside!

If I can push through the pain for a bit will they start to go away? Any suggestions? Thanks!

I don't have too much insight on shin splints as I too get them almost immediately when I try to run so I've given up on that. However, if your gym has a stair machine, you could also try switching things up with that.

I've been struggling with shin splints too. My running friends advised me to get new shoes and I did--that helped.

Otherwise my research shows that Rest, Ice, Ibuprofuen and Elevation are the only way to cure them. I'm resting mine at the moment and doing all my cardio on my bike, the elliptical or walking on the treadmill at an incline. I've also just started doing thrice daily icing and ibuprofening. I hope it helps. If I have to do cardio in the gym, I want it to be running!

Oh, and I read that pushing through is the wrong thing to do. It prevents them from ever healing. (This matches with my experience. I've had my current shin splints for months and months and I was choosing to ignore them until about a month ago.)

I have had issues with shin splints when running. Making sure to stretch and having good shoes is def
something to do. I would make sure to stretch before, and after. That seemed to help for me. Good Luck

I found that I have to stretch really good before every run. Good shoes are important too. I did not jog since last Oct, so when I started up again at the end of May I had 3 wks of shin splints before they eased up. I was doing the C25K program, and my shins would start bothering me toward the end of each day. I was so relieved when I stopped getting them. I have told my husband that I have to get outside and run atleast 1 time a week over the winter, so I do not have to go through that again.

Real shin splints are a form of tendonitis-- tendonitis of the medial tibial tendon...... While it cant be "Cured" it can be helped by having proper fitting shoes, and especially proper fitting INSOLES... i had to end up getting custom insoles after being refered by my sports med doctor. I had a different tendonitis though-- post tibial tendonitis (my pain was on the other side and was cause by my extrememly high and riggid arches. Other people experience a "burning" sensation, which can be extrememly uncomfortable, in their shins (front of calf)... if thats the case..... there are a couple things #1 work on your running form-- if you are a heel striker this will really aggravate it... the further in front your foot lands, and the more riggid your foot while you run, the worse it will be...
if its the burning sensation, it WILL work itself out, in time.... but being fitted for proper shoes, once again, WILL help