Shin conditioning question.

**Polish beast** · Posted On: 3/30/2012 9:57pm

So a few monthes ago, I stopped conditioning my shins, I want to again, but I'm concerned with something. About a month before I stopped conditioning my shins, (upper shins, but if I continue I want to condition all of it) my mid-shin started hurting a tiny bit, as if the bone was weak whenever I ran or even jogged. Anyone have any ideas?

P.s, I only conditioned my shins using heavy bags.

***TaeBo_Master*** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 3:33am

There are two crucial things to understand when it comes to shin conditioning.

1) The very large majority of it is actually nerve deadening. The tibia, your shinbone, is a very large and very strong bone. It's very nearly as large and strong as your femur. As such, it is already strong and very very hard to break, by its nature. Since it is much closer to the surface (one the front side which is the striking side), the nerves are closer to the bone which explains the sensitivity to shin strikes. Thus, the primary benefit to shin conditioning is simply removing the pain that comes with striking it.
That said, however, it is indeed possible to strengthen bone through the stress-healing action, like any other tissue in your body. This helps, but in the scheme of things is probably less than the actual deadening of the nerves.

2) There is one significant issue that does arise during the shin conditioning process. It is due to the proximity of the front of the tibia to the skin that surrounds it. When striking the shin against a hard surface–like another shin–the typical bruising and swelling response occurs. The result is the all-too-familiar "goose egg." Since there is no room to spare, that lump of swelling puts pressure on the shin. You might think that the fluid buildup is no match for the strength of the bone, but you'd be wrong. All fluids in your body are primarily water, and water is incompressible. Therefore, if something's gotta give it's going to be the bone and not the fluid. Because of this, when you have a goose egg on your shin, it puts pressure on the bone. The deflection is small in terms of measurable degree, but bones are very stiff. In effect, it's as if your bone is being bent (in a small way). So when you put weight on it, or other pressures, it adds to the pressure on the bone. If the goose egg and the pressure is significant, it will basically feel as if the bone is being bent toward breaking. In a sense, this is exactly what's happening. The pressure is in reality not an actual threat to breaking the bone, but your body thinks it is so it sends a strong pain signal. So if you've got goose eggs as a result of your shin conditioning, it can indeed be painful on the level of feeling like your bone will break. It won't, but it'll feel like it. If that's what's up, give the goose eggs time to heal. You can accelerate that by taking anti-inflammatories, applying ice, and such.

Finally, the main nerve the runs down your shin is the tibial nerve. It's much like the ulnar nerve in your arm, better known as the funny bone. You know if you strike the nerve at your elbow, you'll feel it all the way down to your hand, even into your fingers. The same can happen in your shin. A stimulation higher up can cause sensation and pain further down the line.

I hope this helps.

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 9:55am

One thing I would like to mention is that the pain when you were running could actually have been shin splints. I've seen this mistaken many times over the years. I've conditioned my shins many different ways over the years and the best way I've come across is simply just kick the bottom of a heavy bag over and over and then allow your body to heal. If you have a chance get some dit jow to assist in your recovery.

*This is in addition to everything Taebo said.

**Polish beast** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 11:18am

Originally Posted by Omega Supreme

One thing I would like to mention is that the pain when you were running could actually have been shin splints. I've seen this mistaken many times over the years. I've conditioned my shins many different ways over the years and the best way I've come across is simply just kick the bottom of a heavy bag over and over and then allow your body to heal. If you have a chance get some dit jow to assist in your recovery.

*This is in addition to everything Taebo said.

I always let it heal. @TaeBo_master, so is there any way to get rid of these goose eggs? And they don't hurt terribly, just feel that since I started conditioning, they felt weaker.

***TaeBo_Master*** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 5:28pm

The goose eggs will go away on their own. If you wanna speed the process along, alternate putting ice and heat on them and take anti-inflammatory drugs. Otherwise, just give 'em a few days to heal. I always felt like I could notice a little ridge formed on the shin after a particular good goose egg healed. This may or may not be factual, but the fact remains, the stress that caused the goose egg causes the strengthening. But stress only strengthens when you let it heal. If you don't, stress breaks things.

**Polish beast** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 5:32pm

Originally Posted by TaeBo_Master

The goose eggs will go away on their own. If you wanna speed the process along, alternate putting ice and heat on them and take anti-inflammatory drugs. Otherwise, just give 'em a few days to heal. I always felt like I could notice a little ridge formed on the shin after a particular good goose egg healed. This may or may not be factual, but the fact remains, the stress that caused the goose egg causes the strengthening. But stress only strengthens when you let it heal. If you don't, stress breaks things.

Crap, that means I don't have them. I stopped conditioning about a month ago.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 5:34pm

I think another factor is learning the real form for a shin kick. When your shin is properly falling into place from above ( not describing it well but in a perfect thai roundhouse the shin follows the knee to a small degree), you actually hit on the outside arc of the shin and the muscle adjoining it. Likewise, the muscle next to the shin flexes when you raise your toes while checking a leg kick, and the ideal check is at an angle

**Polish beast** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 6:01pm

Originally Posted by JohnnyCache

I think another factor is learning the real form for a shin kick. When your shin is properly falling into place from above ( not describing it well but in a perfect thai roundhouse the shin follows the knee to a small degree), you actually hit on the outside arc of the shin and the muscle adjoining it. Likewise, the muscle next to the shin flexes when you raise your toes while checking a leg kick, and the ideal check is at an angle

I'm sure I do it right. The only thing is I found it more effective to chamber, so I do, as oppose to the muay thai 'baseball bat'.