ouch!!

[youngN]

I have developed shin splints and what feels to be the equivalent of that in both my shins and thighs. Anyone else have this problem. There not stress fractures but it hurts like crazy. Also anyone else know ways of prevention, ex (those arc supports that are advertized on tv). Anyone have any experience with those? I get shin splints often when playin bball

[LilFella]

Re: ouch!!

It all depends on the shoes for me. I get them bad too when I run. I wear the same shoes all the time now because they are theonly ones that work for me. I wear Nike running shoes. Some of my friends wear those z coil things and like em for shin splints. Also I have heard that strengthening your shin muscles by doing plate lifts with the top of your foot is supposed to work.

[youngN]

Re: ouch!!

z coil?

[youngN]

Re: ouch!!

i dont have much arch...thats why i was wonderin bout the arch support thing

[youngN]

Re: ouch!!

i got new balance shoes and jus bought some bball shoes..but i know ive got barley any arch

[SpyWizard]

Re: ouch!!

mine were so bad i had to get an mri, yes there were fractures...

the exercise is face a wall, place your foot as flat as you can against the wall, but keep the heel on the floor, then flex your knee towards the wall..

since i started doing this stretch 2 years ago.. no more shin splints..

oh, and yes the orthotics work..

[youngN]

Re: ouch!!

is orthotics arch supports? ill do that stretch alot from now on. I was thinkin of purchasing these to help as well

http://www.coolstuffontv.com/health/walkfit.htm

[T-Man007]

Re: ouch!!

More times than not, shin splints are the result of poor cushion. ALL shoes claim to have great cushion, but if you really go and try a dozend different kinds of shoes on, you will find ones that are better. On top of that, you should still add cushioned soles to get even more softness in the shoe.

Next, you cant do exercises to reduce it. Bascially, you sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and put a 25 plate on the floor with just a part of it on the top of your foot and you raise your foot up and down to work the front of your lower legs. Now, I do my calf extensions on the leg press and for some reason, I don't know why, put that exercise has built the front of my lower legs a lot. It really doesn't make sense but you can even see the muscle work when I do the calf extensions. Also, you can get on the seated calf raise with light weight and instead of placing th eball of your foot on the platform, you put the very edge of you heels on it and let your toes hang down in front. This is just another variation of the toe raise thing. This too will stregthen the front of your lower legs. But, remember, this is not about strength, it's about endurance so keep the reps at 15 or higher.