Friday, May 4, 2012

How to help and prevent shin splints


At one point or another in your life shin splints will happen. How to recover after getting them and also how to prevent them from ever happening again.



Reasons Shin Splints Happen.

To hard too soon. Make sure to start of slow when you are getting into a running program or high impact workout routine.

Over use. Stretch and make sure to give your legs a rest if they are in pain. It is important to have diversity in your workout routines so this doesn't happen. But I do find that this happens a lot more when it comes to not getting enough stretching in for this area of your leg.

Old shoes or lack of support. How old are your shoes? Have you gone used them for 8-9 months already? Good quality shoes will have support for your feet that will absorb the shock. Your shoes only have about 500 miles of good wear distance on them.

It is a good idea to check with an orthopedic physician if the shin splits keep happening when running and you have tried everything else. They can help you choice the right orthotics.

How to treat shin splint.

During your recovery period, try low-impact workouts, such as stationary cycling, elliptical machines and pool running. Icing the inflamed area on a regular basis and using anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, will reduce swelling. This is especially true if your shin splints are accompanied by redness, localized tenderness, or swelling. Try an ice massage by holding an ice cube in a washcloth and rubbing the swollen, sore area for 10 to 15 minutes. Remember not to exceed 10 to 15 minutes each time you ice, and always wrap ice cubes, frozen veggies, and store-bought gel ice in a towel or washcloth to avoid burns and frostbite. You can repeat icing every few hours as needed.

Stretching helps. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Calf stretch: Step forward into a half lunge, toes pointing forward. Your forward leg should be bent and the back leg should be straight. Stretch the calf of your back leg by pressing your heel down toward the floor, keeping the forward leg bent and stationary. You should feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg. Repeat on opposite side.

Hamstring stretch: Begin by standing upright, feet under hips, toes pointed forward. Place the heel of your right forward so that your toes point upward. Keep your back leg slightly bent and abs tight to help with balance. Place your hands on your front thigh. Keeping torso straight, bend over from the waist, lowering your upper body towards your extended leg until you feel a stretch in the hamstring of your front leg. Repeat on opposite side.

Always listen to your body. You don't want to train muscle groups that are in pain because they need time to heal.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for this. I suffer from this all the time. So happy I can now find relief. Ty!!!!!!

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