Shin Splints

[lucky99luke]

I have been diagnosed with shin splints by my podiatrist.  I have flat feet and since the diagnosis three months ago have been wearing orthotics, these seem to help a bit.  I haven't been able to work, as my occupation requires me to be on my feet all day and this just causes extreme pain in my soleus muscle and smaller surrounding muscles.  I walk most days for a half hour at a time, sometimes more.  If I stand on my feet for anymore than a few hours I feel a lot of pain, the doctor said it could be 6 months to two years for it to heal fully, and in that time I have to rest.  Can anyone recommend some supplements or any other advice, if anyone would like to share their experience I would be grateful.
Thanks

[triple_pickle]

1.  walk on your heels, toes pointed up.  walk forwards then backwards for a total of some 50 yards, once a day is enough.

2.  do backwards running -- at least half a mile and not necessarily all the distance at a time, e.g. on a track, do 2 laps forwards, then 1 lap backwards, etc.  even better, do uphill sprints -- run up uphill, walk back to the bottom, repeat.  important: push off the balls of your feet.

[youandme]

Well if you can take a NSAID when you know you will be walking and standing alot, and you have not gotten over the injury. Those are good exercises to strengthen, but right now your in pain, and the only cure for this is by staying off your feet as much as you can and ice. I have flat feet also and get them VERY VERY BAD, and usually happens when I start to gain to much weight. What kind of shoes do you wear? Ifind that adiddas have more arch support and fit tighter on my feet so it makes less of a flat plant when I walk.

[JamieX4200]

1.  walk on your heels, toes pointed up.  walk forwards then backwards for a total of some 50 yards, once a day is enough.

2.  do backwards running -- at least half a mile and not necessarily all the distance at a time, e.g. on a track, do 2 laps forwards, then 1 lap backwards, etc.  even better, do uphill sprints -- run up uphill, walk back to the bottom, repeat.  important: push off the balls of your feet.

shint splints will go away in time as well...  not sure about the flat foot part though..

[Hayabusa]

I have been diagnosed with shin splints by my podiatrist.  I have flat feet and since the diagnosis three months ago have been wearing orthotics, these seem to help a bit.  I haven't been able to work, as my occupation requires me to be on my feet all day and this just causes extreme pain in my soleus muscle and smaller surrounding muscles.  I walk most days for a half hour at a time, sometimes more.  If I stand on my feet for anymore than a few hours I feel a lot of pain, the doctor said it could be 6 months to two years for it to heal fully, and in that time I have to rest.  Can anyone recommend some supplements or any other advice, if anyone would like to share their experience I would be grateful.
Thanks

Do as stated above and strengthen your tibia on the front of your leg. If you are lucky you have access to a machine at your gym for this. If not you can use a laying leg curl machine, put light weight on it sit with your legs extended and your toes under the pad. Now just lift the weight by pulling your toes up towards your body. The only thing that should move is your foot. Its kinda like just straighting it and then pulling your toes towards your body.

Also lose all the extra bodyfat you can. I would say lose weight but this board is all about getting big. To keep me from getting them back in the day when I had to run I went from  a rock solid 190 to 195 down to 176. Yes It sucked but I did look good by the pool. The more weight you carry the worse it is. Your shins can only handle so much weight and when you get big from lifting you are exceeding the shins capability. Oh yes if your rich GH can also help fix that problem.

Hayabusa

[Hedgehog]

I have been diagnosed with shin splints by my podiatrist.  I have flat feet and since the diagnosis three months ago have been wearing orthotics, these seem to help a bit.  I haven't been able to work, as my occupation requires me to be on my feet all day and this just causes extreme pain in my soleus muscle and smaller surrounding muscles.  I walk most days for a half hour at a time, sometimes more.  If I stand on my feet for anymore than a few hours I feel a lot of pain, the doctor said it could be 6 months to two years for it to heal fully, and in that time I have to rest.  Can anyone recommend some supplements or any other advice, if anyone would like to share their experience I would be grateful.
Thanks

Shin splints is a pretty cool sounding diagnosis at least.

Cool sounding name.

YIP
Zack

[Ex Coelis]

my shins kill me after running - any way I can cure them? My feet are flat so that's a bit of a bother

will prescription orthodics allow me to run without the pain? It gets bad after a couple weeks and I have to stop even speed walking for about a month before they'll recover 

[oldtimer1]

If you have a stress fracture of the tibia nothing will help but time.  If it's not a fracture sometimes making the muscle in front of the calf stronger will help.  In bodybuilding we always exercise opposing muscle.  If you train the bicep you train the tricep.  The quads and the hamstrings are opposing muscles.  You get the picture. In bodybuilding we train the calf but do we train the opposing muscle the tibalis anteria?  I might have killed the spelling of the muscle.   That muscle on the front of you leg brings your foot upward after the extension from the calf. 

I have a couple of suggestions. 

1.  Follow your doctors advise over anything you read on this posting board including my suggestions.  If he gives the okay try the following.

2.  Othotics will help stabilize your foot. 

3. When doing cardio if you run or walk fast use a quality running shoe.  They are expensive.  Plan on spending $80 plus.  I don't know if you can wear sneakers at work but I found that Skate board sneakers are super padded for the activity.  I have a pair of VANS and I can't believe how padded they are.  They are not for doing cardio but for walking at work or standing they provide a lot of padding.   

4. Stand on a calf block backward.  Just put your heels on the board.  Bring your toes and the top part of your foot toward your shins.  This is a high rep exercise.  Do this for two to three sets three times a week.

5. On some leg extension machines you can lie down down and put the top of your foot under the roller.  Use the lightest weight possible on the machine.  Again bring you toes and top part of your foot toward your shin to exercise your tibalis anteria. 

6.  If your have $229 to spend go on EBAy and look up the tibia dorsi calf machine in strength training category.

7.  I use a contraption that isn't made anymore to my knowledge called a D.A.R.D. I believe.  It's made specifically to train the front of the shin muscle.  You might be able to find a used one online. 

I hope your injury get better.  I was out of lifting heavy for 6 months with a severe arm injury.  I have also had my share of running injuries.  I ran track in high school and college.  I also ran my butt off in 12 months of basic and advanced military training.  Injuries stink.


 

[moto man]

I have been diagnosed with shin splints by my podiatrist.  I have flat feet and since the diagnosis three months ago have been wearing orthotics, these seem to help a bit.  I haven't been able to work, as my occupation requires me to be on my feet all day and this just causes extreme pain in my soleus muscle and smaller surrounding muscles.  I walk most days for a half hour at a time, sometimes more.  If I stand on my feet for anymore than a few hours I feel a lot of pain, the doctor said it could be 6 months to two years for it to heal fully, and in that time I have to rest.  Can anyone recommend some supplements or any other advice, if anyone would like to share their experience I would be grateful.
Thanks

I had shin splints on and of for years. Tried the orthotics but never healed completely. I found the best way to fix the problem is buy sum masage oil and do deep muscle work on the muscles on both sides of your shin (inside and outside leg).put the oil on and then using you thumb rub up your leg between your calf muscle and your shin bone.