Running again after Shin Splint

[Joe]

So I finally healed this bugger up. I have no pain; nada,
zip, zero. I have to pound on my shin in the exact location
pretty hard to elicit even a small response and it doesn't
even hurt. I took an additional three weeks off of it and
did lots of biking and elliptical. Then I went to the
Adirondacks and hiked for several days (33 miles of hiking,
averaging ~3mph up mountains). I felt fine during and after
the hikes.

I have done three runs over the last three days of 4, 6, and
5 miles. I felt fine on each one, no pain before, during, or
after the run.

I am scared about injuring myself again. I want to ease back
into things, since if I start off too soon I will probably
end up doing it all over again. I am thinking of a fall
marathon (Detroit), but I am not making any commitment until
I go through several weeks with no pain.

What is the best way to go about starting out again? I was
thinking of just alternating days of running and xtraining
for the first few weeks, keeping the mileage ~20. What have
others done in recovering from this type of injury when
starting up again?

Joe

[Dan Stumpus]

My advice is to run on trails or other soft surface like
tartan track, sand, etc.

Alternatively, on a treadmill at a slight incline (say 3-
4%). This will also keep the shock down.

Work your way up to your target mileage on mostly low-impact
stuff, then wean yourself off. I personally have run mostly
trails and unpaved fireroads for many years, and find it is
much easier on the body than paved surfaces.

Ever notice how they don't run horseraces on pavement?

-- Dan

"Joe" <joeblow632@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:SX5wc.98$Fd.15@twister.rdc-
kc.rr.com...
> So I finally healed this bugger up. I have no pain; nada,
> zip, zero. I have to pound on my shin in the exact
> location pretty hard to elicit even
a
> small response and it doesn't even hurt. I took an
> additional three weeks off of it and did lots of biking
> and elliptical. Then I went to the Adirondacks and hiked
> for several days (33 miles of hiking, averaging
~3mph
> up mountains). I felt fine during and after the hikes.
>
> I have done three runs over the last three days of 4, 6,
> and 5 miles. I felt fine on each one, no pain before,
> during, or after the run.
>
> I am scared about injuring myself again. I want to ease
> back into things, since if I start off too soon I will
> probably end up doing it all over again. I am thinking of
> a fall marathon (Detroit), but I am not making
any
> commitment until I go through several weeks with no pain.
>
> What is the best way to go about starting out again? I was
> thinking of
just
> alternating days of running and xtraining for the first
> few weeks, keeping the mileage ~20. What have others
> done in recovering from this type of injury when
> starting up again?
>
> Joe

[Bill]

> What is the best way to go about starting out again? I was
> thinking of just alternating days of running and xtraining
> for the first few weeks, keeping the mileage ~20. What
> have others done in recovering from this type of injury
> when starting up again?
>
> Joe

Find a way to warm up gradually, rather than beginning
plyometric running cold. Massage, walk, do springing toe
walks, spin, run in very short steps for a few minutes, take
a break to walk, then start running. Avoid starting your
sessions on a downhill. Build up your lower legs as a form
of prevention. Do not do static stretches cold or just
before a long run.

When using a muscle cold, I have read, only a small fraction
of the fibers participate. Warming up recruits more of the
fibers which share the load.

[Donovan Rebbech]

On 2004-06-04, Joe <joeblow632@hotmail.com> wrote:
> So I finally healed this bugger up. I have no pain; nada,
> zip, zero. I have to pound on my shin in the exact
> location pretty hard to elicit even a small response and
> it doesn't even hurt. I took an additional three weeks off
> of it and did lots of biking and elliptical. Then I went
> to the Adirondacks and hiked for several days (33 miles of
> hiking, averaging ~3mph up mountains). I felt fine during
> and after the hikes.
>
> I have done three runs over the last three days of 4, 6,
> and 5 miles. I felt fine on each one, no pain before,
> during, or after the run.
>
> I am scared about injuring myself again. I want to ease
> back into things, since if I start off too soon I will
> probably end up doing it all over again. I am thinking of
> a fall marathon (Detroit), but I am not making any
> commitment until I go through several weeks with no pain.
>
> What is the best way to go about starting out again? I was
> thinking of just alternating days of running and xtraining
> for the first few weeks, keeping the mileage ~20. What
> have others done in recovering from this type of injury
> when starting up again?

I had shin problems once. The problems were very short lived
because I got on top of it quickly -- 5 day layoff, and it
didn't come back.

Adjustments I made to training: first, I cut milage by 25%,
made up the difference by cross training. Gradually rebuilt
reduced speed work for a while (and then cut it altogether
since base building phase started)

Depending on how long your layoff was, a more substantial
milage cutback may be appropriate. Also if you have some
idea as to what caused the injury, that will give you ideas
as to how to handle rehab.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

[Topcounsel]

>Ever notice how they don't run horseraces on pavement?

Ever notice how even the Air Pegasus -- of all shoes --
doesn't come in a "horseshoe" size? ;)

Dan's point is a good one, in my estimation. Have recently
found soft-surface running an important rehab-period option.