Shin Splints

Naked Lepper · 13-08-2021 8:59am #1

Just wondering if anyone has experience with these? First time for me so wondering how to approach it regarding marathon training

Treatment, recovery time, experiences or tips.

Have been training consistently since January gradually building mileage up, in the past four weeks I have stuck exactly to the plan (not increasing more than 10% in any single week) etc.

unfortunately bottom of right shin is quite sore, even when walking. i stopped running all this week due to it and have been taking difene and doing some light indoor cycling instead. it seems to be slow to heal and am anxious about missing too many more runs (have not run since monday night) - am ok with taking a week of no running as i have a solid 8 months consistent training behind me but dont want fitness to start do dip now as i enter a crucial period of training (just over 8 weeks out from manchester marathon and this is where my training volume starts to seriously build before peaking/taper)

Any advice would be much appreciated. it is only my third marathon but given how well training had gone so far was expecting a pretty solid PB. might be in jeopardy now :/

Naked Lepper · 13-08-2021 9:02am

ps i am only assuming this is so called shin splits, at it is affecting the bottom outside part of my shin on right leg

browne_rob5 · 13-08-2021 9:19am

2 weeks of no running has fixed it for me anytime I have got it and I have built up mileage slowly afterwards like you said. This is not ideal when you are 8 weeks out but 8 months in the bank will help.

There is no impact from cycling though so you should be able to keep up fitness to some extent on the indoor bike as long as there is no pain.

Naked Lepper · 13-08-2021 9:26am

thanks for the advice! just another question regarding returning to running

obviously dont want to jump straight back into the distances i was heading towards on week 1 or 2 - will start with a few shorter runs and build up

i need to start getting in some LSR's though as the longest is only at 25km

i have done loads of 20k+ runs so it should not be too much of a problem but i need to start getting from 25-32k every week

would it be best to sacrifice some shorter weekly runs to allow me to get the LSR's in without over-doing it.. hmm

hope this makes sense

browne_rob5 · 13-08-2021 9:41am

I wouldn't be too concerned about the long runs just yet. If you have one week rest, then 3 weeks to build up and mileage you then have 3 or 4 Sundays for long runs before the race. You can shorten the taper considering you have had 2 weeks rest now.

longrunn · 13-08-2021 11:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746155#Comment_117746155

Might be worth seeing a physio who specialises in running injuries in order to be sure. I know when I had shin splints it was along the whole shin and there was inflammation along the outside of the bone. A couple of weeks of no running, then easing back in to training and I was fine. But when I had a stress fracture it kept me out of training for a much longer time, the pain was over a smaller area in my shin than the splints but if a very specific point on the bone was pressed it hurt a lot more, and there was far less inflammation.

Naked Lepper · 13-08-2021 11:34am

thanks, i am fairly sure it is not a stress fracture (touch wood). there is no specific point that is sore when i touch, its really if i point my toes up that i can start to feel so mild discomfort around the shins so the pain is not constant. i will give it a few days anyway and just rest and see. perhaps a trip to physio might be no harm too, just to get the all clear and for peace of mind.

thanks for advice regarding LSR too. will take it handy once i am back on my feet. annoying to have an interruption in my plan as it had been going so well up to now but what can you do!

13-08-2021 11:48am

Shin splints isn't really a diagnosis, it's a symptom. It's basically short-hand for "my shin is sore". There's a huge amount of things it could be. Physio is where to go if you're looking for a diagnosis

Shin Splints

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