I've had shin splints on the front and on the inside of both shins.
Front: The first time I experience shin splints was when I started running. I tried running in an old battered pair of running shoes I'd had for ages. Well, all the cushioning was long since shot which caused horrible shin pain within a few hundred yards.
Although the new shoes helped massively, I still had issues. A lot of stuff I was reading pointed to muscle imbalance or just under developed shin muscles. Which, for a beginner like me, rang very true. Then I happened across a video on You Tube that told me, before every run, write the alphabet with each foot. Well... within 2-3 weeks, they were as right as rain. The exercise goes like this:
Standing up, stick one foot out in front of you. Keep your leg still and write the upper case alphabet from A-N. Then repeat with the other foot. Then do O-Z in the same fashion.
Inside: I first got shin splints on the inside of my shins about 6 months after I started running. It can range from where the tibialis posterior connects to your tibia (at the top of your shin, on the inside below your knee) right down to just above your ankle. Any pain on the bone in that range is shin splints. Initially I tried to ignore it. Which, I'm sure you can guess, was not a good move. I've had some very painful runs trying that. It cannot be out run. I've tried.
So I went in search of stretches and treatment. The consensus seemed to be RICE, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (oh, and Ibuprofen!). Well I've been through quite a few ice packs (the blue bendy ones you put in the freezer). However, for all the ice and rest applied, it would re-occur at some point. So I turned to my form. Was my form bad? Was I causing myself the injury? A Friend recommended Chi Running.
I'd discovered myself, before getting the book, that I should not land my foot in front of my body. That was just asking for trouble. So it was nice when, while reading the book, that's exactly what Danny Dreyer recommends. There are may other things which made sense, like leaning slightly forward, pumping your arms up hill, to state just a few. It's a great book. The overall idea (as we are talking about shins) is that you don't use your lower leg for much at all. They are passengers. That sounded great to me.
As the months past I worked hard on my form in the Chi Running way. They were better, without a doubt. I was now only getting pain from just above my ankle for about two inches up my shin bone. I'd read all about it. It's basically the tissue that wraps the bone which is being pulled away from the bone from being under so much strain. So, I was still bothered by the old enemy. I'd spend a few weeks in the gym recovering, then be outside for a week, only for it to be painful again.
Next thing I read was how some barefoot running in your training helps strengthen your lower legs. Well I thought, I'll try anything. So on the treadmill, felt very weird and heavy footed. But I persevered. Even after that first session, I came off the treadmill, my legs felt better a more well balanced than I've ever stepped off a treadmill. The next session, I put my shoes on half way through. Sure as mustard, the old pain started coming back pretty quick.
So the upshot was, the stability, well cushioned shoes were ultimately the problem (I've tried lots and lots of makes/models by the way). But hell I've learnt a lot along the way. There is loads and loads of advice out there and it's so difficult to know what to listen too. I've read stories and advice till it's coming out of my ears. And in the end, I had to go right back to basics to understand that I don't actually NEED shoes, but they are a nice to have and make running more comfortable.
In a funny way, if I hadn't suffered with shin splints like I have, I would not have learnt nearly as much as I have about running form, my gait, recovery and treatment.
The last thing is what I'm currently doing to make sure they don't come back. I've got a pair of shoes which don't stop me from running as I would barefoot, and I also found these videos, which seem to work a treat:
So I've got my golf ball, and rolling pin. Great things to do. I found a few sore patches under my foot using the golf ball that I would not known were there. I've been able to work them out nicely.
