Shin splints

[redback]

Its from running on hard surfaces, run on grass.

[Scrumhalf]

I've never bought a pair of sneakers custom made for my feet. Where does one go for something like this?

Look for an athletic shoe shop that specializes in running shoes, i.e. NOT Foot Locker, Sports Authority, etc. Call them up and ask them if they can do an analysis of your foot strike and recommend a good shoe for you. Be prepared to spend some money - probably at least a hundred bucks.

And we are not talking about custom made sneakers, lol... that's for Olympic competitors who are sponsored by the shoe companies. The shoe shop will analyze whether you are a heel striker, whether you pronate or supinate, etc., what your arches are like, etc. and recommend the right kind of shoe that will stabilize your foot and reduce the jarring that eventually affect your bones and joints.

And yes, as redback indicates, if you can, avoid running on pavement. If you have a high school football or soccer field or park, maybe you can see if you can run on grass. There's a good reason why pro athletes hate playing on astroturf vs. real grass.

[NewbieChris]

Awesome, thanks everyone.

[caged]

no problem

[NewbieChris]

I really hate my body. Everytime I feel like I am making progress I take 18 steps back. The shin pains have re-surfaced but I am 35-40 lbs lighter than when I made this post. I am going to see a physical therapist on Tuesday.

[Scrumhalf]

What have you been doing since the last round of posts to aggravate them? Have you continued any high impact running? Did you get your shoes changed under advice from a real running shoe store? There's nothing the PT will tell you other than to rest, so I would save my money if I were you.

[NewbieChris]

What have you been doing since the last round of posts to aggravate them? Have you continued any high impact running?

I dont believe my running has changed at all. I have increased the amount of running I have been doing lately because all the seasonals have started using the stairmaster forcing me to my second chioce. Running.

Did you get your shoes changed under advice from a real running shoe store?

Yes

[Scrumhalf]

Did you take our advice and stop running on pavement? Until you stop doing that, your shin splints are not going to go away and will get a lot worse. Don't mess with shin splits, Chris! They will cripple you if you don't treat them with respect.

[NewbieChris]

I stopped running on pavement and moved to mainly cardio equipment. I tried starting running again on a treadmill and they were fine. I didn't change anything, but now they are back. I haven't been running on pavement. I have ran once since I posted this just to see what would happen. They don't hurt while I am running, but aftwerard they are mildly sore. I guess I'll see what this PT says.

[Scrumhalf]

Why don't you try the elliptical? It is a lot less impactive than even the treadmill.

[NewbieChris]

I use the ellitipical, rowing urg, stair master and treadmill. I just dont believe the elliptical works that well compared to running.

[Scrumhalf]

I'm not sure why you say that - the elliptical is a great exercise machine with very low joint impact.

[redsquirrel]

What kind of shoes did you get?

[NewbieChris]

What kind of shoes did you get?

Nike. It was between that and a pair of a different brand that I don't recall the name of. It started with an "s".

[Scrumhalf]

Did you consult a running shoe specialty store to make sure you have the right shoes for your foot and your strike pattern? This is really important.