Numbness Across Shins--Any Ideas?
 

Howdy--wondering if anyone out there (or the trainers among you) have some insight for this. I've been exercising & weight training for about 6 weeks now. No problems until Christmas day (when this first happened). I finished my workout, went home, and while showering realized that the tops of my shins were NUMB--like I'd had a novocaine injection under the skin. At that point, it was across the whole top area of the shin (both left & right of lateral line).

I rested a day and most numbness went away. Came back on next workout and has been present since. My initial thought was that it was the extended time I did on the treadmill Christmas (an hour at about 3.5 mph with varying incline up to 4). I bought new shoes. Still problem. Moved from the treadmill to the recumbant bike. OK, NOW it is localizing to the midpoint IN on both legs. On Christmas I also added hip adductor (3 x 10 @ 130 which feels easy) and hip abductor (3 x 10 @ 80 lb) exercises to my routine.

The rest of my weight work has been upper body and I'd been doing that for a month with no problems.

I've researched online and talked to a couple of friends who are massage therapists and work with sports teams (actually, I have too). IMO, this is not sciatica--there is no radiating, no pain, and no problems elsewhere. It more closely matches (anterior tibialis) compartment syndrome, but that is normally accompanied by problems with foot/ankle flexion which I don't have. I *do* have a history of shin splints, but this is NOT shin splints (certainly not as I've ever experienced them).

Any thoughts/ideas? My next move is to stick with the recumbant bike for my aerobic warm-up and to drop the hip add/ab exercises and see if I experience full return of sensation. Then I'll SLOWLY add back the treadmill time and/or at least try to isolate what the problem is. BTW, I don't use elliptical machines (in case anyone was going to suggest) because they set my bunions on fire ;)

Ok I'm no professional and I've not heard of much like this. However, my first instinct would be it's a back thing. I would also be VERY wary of using the hip adductor and abductor machines. I know it hurts my back when I do as much "weight" as you do, and my Mum can't use them without it setting hers off either.

Tiny rant about adductors and abductors coming up...

1) they only exercise tiny leg muscles, it's best to weight train the quads (at the front of your thigh) so you will build more muscle and hence you will have more muscle for burning fat.

2) Machines are not particularly ergonomically designed, especially for women. They are probably designed for MR Average and they may not be able to be adjusted correctly for everyone.

So if I were you I'd drop the hip exercises (as you suggest) and if you want to add in some weights for your lower body try the leg press or some free weights, doing squats or deadlifts. It could be related to running, a lot of things can be, but it wouldn't be the first thing I'd drop.

Just my humble unqualified opinion! ;)