Shin Splints...the runner's forever foe

Shins Splints: What are they? How do you get them? How do you treat them and prevent them?

What they are: Shin splints are generally an inflammation of the various shin muscles that help to flex your foot (the anterior tibialis, posterior tibialis, and other smaller and deeper muscles that help flex your big toe). The inflammation is obviously what is causing the pain, and when left untreated it may lead to larger problems such as stress fractures of the shin bone (tibia).

The cause of shin splints: Shin splints may be a product of several issues. The most common cause is a sudden change in the conditioning program, whether it is immediately beginning a new running program, progressing too quickly (>10% each week), change of running surface, or various other shifts in a fitness regimen. Another cause may be a runner's biomechanics. If a runner has flat-feet (or over-pronates) naturally and while running, it will place excessive stress on the shin muscles.

Because the shin muscles act to flex the foot (or pick up the toes) during movement, they can also become inflamed if they are too weak to accomplish the job. Tight calf muscles might exacerbate this problem, forcing the shin muscles to pull against tight calves each time they pull the foot up.

Treatment and prevention: When you begin to notice pain in your shins (especially before and after running--the movement during running will warm them up and temporarily disguise the pain), rest and ice. If the pain is severe, it may be necessary to completely cease from running or any similar activity for a period of time in order to not cause any more trauma to the muscles. If it is not as severe, cut back on the amount of running and ice, as mentioned, plus add in some strengthening and stretching exercises to get rid of the problem.

Strengthening of the shin muscles can be done in several ways. Keep in mind that the muscles' primary activity is to dorsiflex (or pull up) the foot. First exercise: try walking on your heels with your forefeet lifted off the ground for about 50-100 feet. Another exercise: you can also attach an elastic band around a post and then loop it around the top of your foot while sitting straight-legged on the floor. Pull your foot towards you against the resistance of the band and then slowly release. Do 3 sets of 20 reps. One last exercise: sit in a chair with your feet on the floor and a weight plate or similar heavy object resting on top of your feet. Lift the weight off the ground by just pulling up your toes (your heels should remain on the floor). This last exercise is somewhat awkward, but will work if you don't have access to an elastic band.

Stretch those calves! Whether you think you have tight calves or not, make sure you stretch your calves a lot. You can also try to stretch your shin muscles by sitting in a chair with one leg crossed and manually pushing your foot downward. Manually rubbing your shin muscles or foam rolling them will also help to relieve tension in the muscle and fascia and promote healing. If you don't already have shin splints, all of these treatment suggestions should be followed in order to prevent shin splints from occurring. Trust me, you don't want to test your luck.

Shin splints happen to the best and worst of runners and it's just kind of one of those things. You may be more prone to them than others, but by following the advice above, you can quickly get back on the road and hopefully prevent any future occurrences.

Bringing Quality & Simplicity to Beginner Runners

I did a Google search the other day for "beginner runner". I was disappointed to see that what appeared were multiple websites offering a barrage of information for the running newbie. I'm not kidding when I say "barrage". There were so many suggestions to wade through. I put myself in the shoes of a person just wanting to learn how to run correctly, and I got frustrated. No wonder so many people give up on the sport!

Running can be made simple...even proper running. My goal as a runner and a trainer is to provide simple tools for proper running that make sense but are still quality. There are too many quick fix products in the fitness industry. Think about it, the fitness industry must be the leader for gimmicks and "make-me-hot-quick fixes". I don't think any other industry comes even close. The problem is that these gimmicks usually don't work because though they may be simple, they're not quality. On the other end of the spectrum, you could spend hours learning about how the body works physiologically, the ideal biomechanical sequence for proper running technique, and the most efficient and scientifically proven methods for progressing. You would get quality information, but it would be far from simple.

Is there a solution for the person who just wants to run correctly while avoiding the quick-fix gimmicks? YES!!! In the works is an e-book that combines quality with simplicity. It makes running so simple, it's ridiculous; however, I'm offering suggestions based on scientific research that world-class runners utilize for optimum performance. It's the best of both worlds! I even chose to publish it for you as just an e-book because we all know our current society thrives on their computer and an e-book is the most accessible and simple method of publishing available.

Run with Endurance: The Beginner's Guide to Running should be available for download shortly. It will be your singular source for quality running information delivered in a simple and doable manner. Check it out at www.dahlmanelite.com!