Shin splints

[Bumpkin]

I find that when I am hiking the incline of a steep mountain I usually end up with very serious shin pain by the end of the day. Does this happen to anyone else? Do you know of any particular stretches or exercises that would help reduce this problem?

[jason]

I get them bad when I jog on the street. To the point where I cannot walk. I've never found a way to stop it from happening, other then to stop jogging on uneven pavement. You get them because the muscles between the bones in your lower leg expand if I remember correctly. I was told to try some warm up exercises, and to work on the flexibility of them. I cannot remember the exact exercises, sorry. As for treatment, I found that nothing besides time really worked. Ice helped, as did warm water. Some people told me warm water was bad though.

[southerngal]

I get them from time to time just doing normal walking activities. I don't know of a way to stop them because I still get them even if I stretch first!

[rosebud]

i've gotten em and i found that eating a banana helps; its got that potassium stuff

[sarahbean]

Potassium may help for muscle cramps but shin splints are not the same. There is another disorder that can seem like shin splints but is more dangerous due to circulatory issues that you should see a doctor and not make this diagnosis for yourself.

[Pebbles]

Originally Posted by sarahbean

Potassium may help for muscle cramps but shin splints are not the same. There is another disorder that can seem like shin splints but is more dangerous due to circulatory issues that you should see a doctor and not make this diagnosis for yourself.

This is good advice. I would talk to your doctor first. When a friend of mine was having these kind of issues it ended up being that she just needed better arch support in her shoes.

[Bumpkin]

I'm pretty sure these are just plain old shin splints. When I ran track in high school I used to get them and that's what the doctor said it was back then.

I already stretch a lot prior to anything strenuous, but I guess I'm just going to have to try to do even more and see if that helps. I might also try adding more arch support to my shoes. Even if that doesn't fix it, I don't think you can ever go wrong with more arch support.

[Wild Bill]

I used to get shin splints when I ran until I found out that my feet over prownate (sorry I'm not sure how you spell it). Basically my feet roll in when I run.

Once I found that out and I got the proper types of shoes with arch supports, shin splits became a thing of the past for me.

Take a look at the bottom of the shoes you wear, especially the old ones. If the bottom of your shoes seem more worn on one edge rather than in the middle, then you may have an issue with your feet and you may need a certain type of insole for your shoes.