Avoid Shin Splints Part 2
Dear Runner,
I want to illustrate why it's important to wear good running shoes.
In my last e-mail, I made a point about how important having a good pair of running shoes is. I want to illustrate the point with a real life example.
Last week I went for a run up at a nice park that is about 25 minutes from my house. In my haste I forgot my running shoes. I decided to run with just the shoes that I had. Unfortunately, these were my everyday shoes, and they were pretty worn out.
I didn't want to go back home, so I figured that I would not run as far as I planned and I would stop if I felt too sore. Plus, I thought it would be a good experiment to illustrate my point I make last time. The good news is that I didn't get injured but I sure took a beating. Since, the shoes I ran in didn't have good cushioning, my lower legs took most of the shock. I was quite sore afterward. I only went about 6 1/2 miles.
I could see that if I would continue to run in these shoes, after a couple of weeks, I would probably start to feel the effects and be in danger of some kind of injury. Most likely "shin splints".
Now, I wouldn't have performed this experiment, if I had not believed that I wouldn't be able to take the punishment. I knew that my body was strong enough to handle the poor shoes from doing the exercises from my course, "How to Run Like A Deer". That's probably why I was able to go for at least 6 1/2 miles.
You can think of shoes like tires on a car, it doesn't matter how well tuned the car is, it isn't going to perform well if the tires are almost flat.
More on shin splints. Remember that I am using the term shin splints to really mean pain or problems in the front of the lower leg, i.e., the shin.
Here are 5 common causes of shin pain:
1) Tendonitis
2) Inflammation of the bone covering
3) Stress Fractures
4) Nerve irritation
5) Compartment syndrome
1) Tendonitis is basically tendon stress, usually inflammation. In this case tendons in your lower leg. You will normally feel this when at rest, and when you first run, then the pain will "go away' as your tendons warm up and loosen up a bit.
2) Inflammation of the bone covering means that the material that covers your bones, called Periosteum, becomes inflamed. Your tendons actual attach to this as opposed to the bone itself. This is caused by too much shock to the bone. This usually gets worse as you run. Remember last week where I talked about how the lower leg takes most of the shock from running.
3) Stress fractures in the shin area are also caused by too much shock and jarring. Can also be caused by twisting or stepping off a curb wrong, then agitated by repeated jarring from running. This also gets worse the more you run on it.
4) Nerve irritation of the tibial nerve is caused by surrounding muscles and/or veins that squeeze the nerve and thus inflame it.
5) The most serious of all shin problems is Compartment syndrome. Your lower leg has several different "compartments" that each house muscles, tendons, nerves, veins, arteries and bones. Each one is contained by a cellophane "sheath". If there is sudden swelling in any compartment, from an inflamed muscle this can squeeze against the arteries and/or veins and can cut of blood flow. This causes pain from the lack of blood flow. This also gets worse the more you run. You may see your foot or lower leg turning blue or purple and it might feel cold. If this happens, IMMEDIATELY SEEK EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT.
Remember, if you are experiencing pain, see a doctor as soon as possible.
And, if you are thinking about or have given up running because of pain or fear of injuries, give my course a try. You can order here: http://www.runningtough.com/order.html.
Thanks,
Jerry Hopkins
I want to illustrate why it's important to wear good running shoes.
In my last e-mail, I made a point about how important having a good pair of running shoes is. I want to illustrate the point with a real life example.
Last week I went for a run up at a nice park that is about 25 minutes from my house. In my haste I forgot my running shoes. I decided to run with just the shoes that I had. Unfortunately, these were my everyday shoes, and they were pretty worn out.
I didn't want to go back home, so I figured that I would not run as far as I planned and I would stop if I felt too sore. Plus, I thought it would be a good experiment to illustrate my point I make last time. The good news is that I didn't get injured but I sure took a beating. Since, the shoes I ran in didn't have good cushioning, my lower legs took most of the shock. I was quite sore afterward. I only went about 6 1/2 miles.
I could see that if I would continue to run in these shoes, after a couple of weeks, I would probably start to feel the effects and be in danger of some kind of injury. Most likely "shin splints".
Now, I wouldn't have performed this experiment, if I had not believed that I wouldn't be able to take the punishment. I knew that my body was strong enough to handle the poor shoes from doing the exercises from my course, "How to Run Like A Deer". That's probably why I was able to go for at least 6 1/2 miles.
You can think of shoes like tires on a car, it doesn't matter how well tuned the car is, it isn't going to perform well if the tires are almost flat.
More on shin splints. Remember that I am using the term shin splints to really mean pain or problems in the front of the lower leg, i.e., the shin.
Here are 5 common causes of shin pain:
1) Tendonitis
2) Inflammation of the bone covering
3) Stress Fractures
4) Nerve irritation
5) Compartment syndrome
1) Tendonitis is basically tendon stress, usually inflammation. In this case tendons in your lower leg. You will normally feel this when at rest, and when you first run, then the pain will "go away' as your tendons warm up and loosen up a bit.
2) Inflammation of the bone covering means that the material that covers your bones, called Periosteum, becomes inflamed. Your tendons actual attach to this as opposed to the bone itself. This is caused by too much shock to the bone. This usually gets worse as you run. Remember last week where I talked about how the lower leg takes most of the shock from running.
3) Stress fractures in the shin area are also caused by too much shock and jarring. Can also be caused by twisting or stepping off a curb wrong, then agitated by repeated jarring from running. This also gets worse the more you run on it.
4) Nerve irritation of the tibial nerve is caused by surrounding muscles and/or veins that squeeze the nerve and thus inflame it.
5) The most serious of all shin problems is Compartment syndrome. Your lower leg has several different "compartments" that each house muscles, tendons, nerves, veins, arteries and bones. Each one is contained by a cellophane "sheath". If there is sudden swelling in any compartment, from an inflamed muscle this can squeeze against the arteries and/or veins and can cut of blood flow. This causes pain from the lack of blood flow. This also gets worse the more you run. You may see your foot or lower leg turning blue or purple and it might feel cold. If this happens, IMMEDIATELY SEEK EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT.
Remember, if you are experiencing pain, see a doctor as soon as possible.
And, if you are thinking about or have given up running because of pain or fear of injuries, give my course a try. You can order here: http://www.runningtough.com/order.html.
Thanks,
Jerry Hopkins
posted by Running Tips at 9:00 AM
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