Shin Splints

[rainfall]

I have had bad shin splints for about 2 and a half years now, resulting from heavy martial arts training. I have tried LOTS of treatments for them, but none have seemed to help.

I am wondering, how many of you have had shin splints, and if you were able to get rid of them, how did you do it?

[shemfu]

Have you tried stretching your shins? Put the top of your toes on the ground, and extend your foot with your bodyweight until you feel a stretching sensation in your shin. Hold 30 seconds, relax, repeat. I have a few friends that have had severe shin splints that this has helped. Also, do you run? If so, you might want to check into how you run. Make sure the heel lands first, and you roll your foot and spring off of the toes.

[rainfall]

I have tried stretching both the anterior tibials (as you suggested) as well as the calf and heel cord. No avail. I have had 4 doctors/physical therapists watch the way my foot falls as I walk/run and have "prescription" shoes with inserts, which also didn't help (but sure were expensive!).

:)

[shemfu]

Well, my friend.. I wish I had some advice for you. I have Planar Fascitis which when I was young contributed to shin splints, but if you've had foot experts look at your feet, they certainly know much more than I do. I only hope you recover quickly. By the way, U like 6th Street? Austin is a GREAT town.

[rainfall]

I have tried:
stregthening of the anterior tibials
stregthening of the inverter and everter muscles along the shin (turn the leg in/out)
stretching ad nauseum
5 anti-inflammatories
accupuncture
heat therapy
all kinds of strange exersizes the physical therapists could come up with
special shoes
inserts
ankle wraps
ice
deep tissue massage (ouch!)
6 months of no real physical activity (there's a way to gain weight!)
9 months of physical therapy
I have had both x-rays and bone scans, both indicate a soft tissue injury (not a bone problem)
In total, I think I have seen 7 or 8 different doctors.

What I have learned about this is that "shin splints" as a diagnosis has basically no meaning. It is used to describe any pain between the ankle and the knee. Lots of times, the cause seems to be muscles have built up imbalanced (the calf bigger than the anterior tibs, or vice versa) or your "gait" (the way your foot rolls) is non standard, or your shoes are worn out causing your foot to roll funny. Treatments are usually anti-inflammatories, then rehabilitating.

Well, honestly, I have lost much hope that they will ever be back to normal, but am hoping someone else has been through it and knows something that could help.

[rainfall]

6th street? Well, I have to admit that I don't like crowds a lot, so I generally don't go down there, plus parking is terrible downtown. However, it does have quite a large number of places to go and is extremely popular. Lots of live music in Austin, too, if you like that sort of thing.

I know several people that have Planar Fascitis. I asked my physical therapists about it and they said stretching the toes back helps it.

[shemfu]

All I know is that Austin is the best place I've been.

[Nid]

YOu mean this pain is chronic? Not as a result of actually doing something beforehand?

[rainfall]

No, the pain isn't consistent. I have isolated the motions that trigger the pain to jumping and vigorous side to side motions...motions like that happen all the time in martial arts training, basketball, tennis, running, etc. Once it starts hurting, the pain feels bad enough that I have trouble walking normally. A few hours after I have trained in such a way that it causes the pain, it goes away and will only rarely flare up for no reason.

[PizDoff]

Maybe I missed it, but did you have doctors look at the way you walk?
I understand I develope it more when I'm running more on the balls of feet.

What shemfu first suggested works for me...


GO FLAT FEET!


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