Running - Injury/Technique question - Triathlon Week

09-25-2004, 04:56 AM

Hello,

I am an amateur runner. Typically I run 5 to 10 miles in 30 minutes to
an hour and 20 minutes. After many weeks of break, I went back into
running. I noticed that it hurts around the bone area between my knees
and ankles. The muscle in the back does not hurt. What is this type of
injury called? Is there any way to reduce the pain from such injury?

Thank you in advance for any help, advice and information.
--
SR
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09-25-2004, 12:59 PM

Sounds like a form of shin splints. It's very common when increasing mileage
(at least in my experience). The best you can probably do in the short term
is reduce the number and length of runs a bit and try a few of the following
things:
1). Try running off road (or at least off tarmac). This'll take the strain
from your legs, also
2). Check that your running shoes have sufficient cushioning.

I expect it hurts also when running down hill when the 'jolting' is at its
worst. Of course, you can alway check the web for 'shin splints' but you'll
probably just frighten yourself. The term seem to be used for everything
from a minor niggle to a stress fracture!.

Keep with it though for a few weeks. You body WILL adapt and it'll all be a
thing of the past soon enough.

Dave

"Subba Rao" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Hello,
>
> I am an amateur runner. Typically I run 5 to 10 miles in 30 minutes to
> an hour and 20 minutes. After many weeks of break, I went back into
> running. I noticed that it hurts around the bone area between my knees
> and ankles. The muscle in the back does not hurt. What is this type of
> injury called? Is there any way to reduce the pain from such injury?
>
> Thank you in advance for any help, advice and information.
> --
> SR
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
> Please remove SPAMBUSTER to reply via email.

09-25-2004, 03:32 PM

Subba Rao <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> I am an amateur runner. Typically I run 5 to 10 miles in 30 minutes
> to an hour and 20 minutes. After many weeks of break, I went back
> into running. I noticed that it hurts around the bone area between my
> knees and ankles. The muscle in the back does not hurt. What is this
> type of injury called?

Like Dave said - Shin splints

> Is there any way to reduce the pain from such injury?

You need to take some time off of running. How much time? It depends on
the severity of the pain. You should stop running until you don't feel
any pain while going about your other daily activities. After the pain is
gone resume running on soft surfaces, starting out with short easy runs,
every other day, then gradually increasing the duration and/or intensity.

The usual reason for shin splints is escessive training with inadequate
recovery. So if you took several weeks off from running, then all of a
sudden started running 5 to 10 miles, that could be called exessive. What
is your running schedule? Do you run every day? Are you allowing for
adequate recovery?

Hard running surfaces increase the amount of shock that the body has to
absorb. Avoid running on concrete at all costs. That means do not run on
sidewalks or concrete streets. Soft grass or smooth dirt would be ideal
surfaces.

Make sure you're not running on worn out shoes. This is not always easy
to tell, since a lot of the wear may be internal, such as the EVA mid-
soles losing their cushioning. Since shoes wear out gradually, you may
have gotten used to their feel and not be aware that they are actually
worn out. Your shoes should match your specific running style. If you're
not sure of your running style, you should go to a reputable running shoe
store and have them match you up with a proper pair of shoes.

Phil M.

--
"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make
them all yourself." *Martin Vanbee

09-25-2004, 11:55 PM

This is from the rec.running FAQ

Shin splints (Harry Y Xu [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) (Doug Poirier
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]in .ibm.com) (Rodney Sanders [Only registered and activated users can see links. ])

Excerpts from _The SprotsMedicine Book_ G. Mirkin, MD. and M. Hoffman:

``Shin splints are....condition that can result from muscle imbalance. They
are characterized by generalized pain in front of the lower leg and are
particularly comon in runners and running backs.... The most common cause
is a muscle imbalance where the calf muscles--which pull the forefoot
down--overpower the shin muscles--which pull the forefoot up. As the
athlete continues to train, the calf muscle usually becomes proportionately
much stronger than the shin muscles.

The treatment for shin splints is to strengthen the weaker muscles (shins)
and stretch the stronger muscles (calves).

To strengthen the shins, run up stairs. To stretch the calves,...(do
stretching exercises for the calves, et. the wall push-ups)'' *end of
exerpts.

_________________________________________

In my experience, I have found that stretching is the real key to avoiding
shin-splints. I believe there's a book with stretches by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?tag=enduranceonli-20&keyword=Bob%20Anderson&mode=books">Bob Anderson</a>
that
you may want to check. Also, back issues of running magazines sometimes
have helpful information. Basically, I do the standard "lean on the wall
stretch" and a stretch by standing flat-footed on one leg and bending at
the knee to stretch the achilles. I then top these off with a few toe
raises (no weights!) before I head out to run... If you're having trouble,
I'd recommend stretching 2-3 times a day until you get over the problem.
Start slowly!

Also, you probably should avoid hills and extremely hard surfaces until the
situation improves. I've known several people who've had shin splints and
gotten over them by stretching. (Of course, you should be careful in case
the shin splints are the result of a more severe problem...)

------------------------

Help with shin splints.

1. Try picking up marbles with your toes and holding onto them for a few
seconds.

1A. While recovering from shin splints, it may help to use a wedge in the
heel of your shoes. By raising the heel, you are reducing the pull on the
muscles and tendons on the front.

2. Stand on the stairs with your heels out over the edge. Lower your heels
as far as they will go without undue discomfort, and hold for 15 seconds.
Slowly raise yourself up on your toes. Repeat 5 million times. (Sherwood
Botsford [Only registered and activated users can see links. ])

3. If you can, rig something with either surgical tubing or a large
rubberband. For example: put the tubing around one of the back legs of your
desk in some sort of a loop. Reach under the tubing with your toes, with
your heel as a pivot pull the tubing toward you. This will work the muscle
in the front of the shins. Repeat 6 million times. It's easier than the
stair exercise

4. Run on different terrain, preferably grass. It'll absorb the shock.

5. This normally affects knees, but it might affect shins. Don't run on the
same side of the road all of the time. It is sloped left or right to let
the water run off. Running on the same slope for long periods of time will
cause adverse effects to the ankles, shins...etc.... If you are running on
a track, alternate your direction of travel, as the lean when you are going
around the corners is at least as bad as the crown slope of a road. This is
especially true of small indoor tracks.

6. Strenghening the front muscles: Make a training weight by tying a strip
of cloth to a pop bottle. Sit on the kitchen counter top, hang bottle from
toes, and raise it up and down by flexing your ankle. Weight can be
adjusted by adding water or sand to the bottle. (Sherwood Botsford
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ])

7. Scatter a few chunks of 2x4 around the house where you tend to stand,
say kitchen and bathroom. Now everytime you are at the stove or at the
bathroom (in front of either fixture) stand on 2x4 and rest your heels on
the floor. One in front of the TV and used during every commercial will
either stretch you, or stop you from watching TV. [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

"Subba Rao" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Hello,
>
> I am an amateur runner. Typically I run 5 to 10 miles in 30 minutes to
> an hour and 20 minutes. After many weeks of break, I went back into
> running. I noticed that it hurts around the bone area between my knees
> and ankles. The muscle in the back does not hurt. What is this type of
> injury called? Is there any way to reduce the pain from such injury?
>
> Thank you in advance for any help, advice and information.
> --
> SR
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
> Please remove SPAMBUSTER to reply via email.

09-26-2004, 12:22 AM

Bob Schroedter wrote:
[snip]
>
> 1A. While recovering from shin splints, it may help to use a wedge in the
> heel of your shoes. By raising the heel, you are reducing the pull on the
> muscles and tendons on the front.
>
[snip]

I don't follow this one. Raising the heel will surely *increase* the
pull on the muscles and tendons serving the front of the leg?

Steve
( a fellow sufferer )

09-26-2004, 12:21 PM

I have HORRIBLE shin splint problems personally.
One thing which I've found which really helps - get a quality treadmill.
It cushions the impact dramatically (mine is 30%, some are as much as
40%). Plus, down here where I live, it's hot as Hades (90+, high
humidity) at least 4 months out of the year, so I much prefer it to
running outdoors during those months.

Using a track also helps. Again, it greatly reduces impact.

Lastly, work on how you land. The run coach is trying to overhaul how I
run. While I have made great "strides" towards this end, I still land
too much on my heels, which is what causes me the worst of this problem.
Alas, it's not easy to land more on the balls of your feet when you've
done the other for your whole life! Anyways, there's lots of source
material out there for running drills that can help with this.

Steve wrote:
>
> Bob Schroedter wrote:
> [snip]
> >
> > 1A. While recovering from shin splints, it may help to use a wedge in the
> > heel of your shoes. By raising the heel, you are reducing the pull on the
> > muscles and tendons on the front.
> >
> [snip]
>
> I don't follow this one. Raising the heel will surely *increase* the
> pull on the muscles and tendons serving the front of the leg?
>
> Steve
> ( a fellow sufferer )

09-29-2004, 01:24 PM

Leafing through uk.sport.athletics, I read Top Dog's message of Sun, 26
Sep 2004:

>I have HORRIBLE shin splint problems personally.
>One thing which I've found which really helps - get a quality treadmill.
>It cushions the impact dramatically (mine is 30%, some are as much as
>40%).
[...]
>Using a track also helps. Again, it greatly reduces impact.

When I was considerably younger (and just before most running shoes
started having mid-soles) I used to swear by having a daily raw carrot
to keep away shin splints. Now, I never researched this seriously, so
it might have been a load of bullshit, but it has the advantage that
little can go wrong by ensuring you give your body a good intake of
fresh vegetables and their associated vitamins.
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