Sock Doc video on shin splints treatment and prevention. For the post, click here.
Natural Injury Treatment & Prevention for the Athlete Within
Natural Injury Treatment & Prevention for the Athlete Within
Sock Doc video on shin splints treatment and prevention. For the post, click here.
I have been diagnosed with plantars fasciitis, and my podiatrist gave me orthotics. At the time, I was training for a half marathon and continued training for the half without the orthotics, because I didn’t want to make any changes until after I did the half. I am new to running; I started about a year ago. After I completed my half marathon, I decided it would be good to start training with my orthotics. I am starting marathon training. Since running with the orthotics (my longest run so far has been only 5 miles), I have developed posterior shin splints. I am also running in shoes that provide stability. I am thinking, after a fairly painful 3 mile run, that I should get rid of the orthotics. As a 41 year old female with 2 kids and all the usual aches and pains that go along with being my age, weight, gender, etc., do you recommend that I go with a lower profile shoe as well? The one thing the stable shoes seems to have helped with is my hip, which always hurts but seems to hurt less with the stability shoes. Also, how long should I massage the tender parts of my shin splints?
I believe that everybody can benefit from minimalist-type shoes and being barefoot as much as possible, at least walking around the house. It may take time for you to strengthen your feet and calf muscles since you’ve been in stability shoes for so long, so don’t go right to 100% minimalist shoes. Slowly transition into them. I think the Nike Free Plus is a good transition shoe, and many other companies like Saucony (Kinvara) have similar trans shoes. Go barefoot at home and work as much as you can and eventually you’ll be able to work your way to 100% min-type shoes as long as the other factors aren’t weakening your feet – such as adrenal gland and dietary issues as I discuss here.
Massage the sore spots for a couple minutes 2-3X a day and continue to do so if they get less and less sore. But if there is some underlying factor (poor footwear, stress) that is causing them to be a problem, they will continue to be sore.
Good luck!
SD
Thanks! Funny you mention the Nike Frees. After reading your post about treatment of shin splints (but before you replied to my comment), I went out a bought a pair. I’m for sure going to take the orthotics out of my regular running shoes, as I’m convinced they’re the cause of my shin splints. Then I’ll transition slowly into the Frees. I will read your info about diet; I look forward to it. A friend of mine who is an eastern medicine doctor also indicated that if I wrap my shins in castor oil-soaked cloth, wrap with saran wrap, and then apply heat for 30 minutes, I can cure myself of the splints in 3 – 4 days. I’ll let you (and other readers, I hope) know how that turns out.
I’ve heard about the castor oil wraps, never tried them though.
I am just wondering if those castor oil wraps have helped?
Hello: I have pain ON the bones in both shins. I am training for only a 5K and starting to run 2 miles and 3 miles straight, not fast, about 11:35-minute mile, and I land on the balls of my feet, not on the heel. I did buy some minimalist shoes and ran 1 mile in them, and that is when my shins began to hurt the most. Then I returned them. I am wondering if I do have shin splints..the muscles are not sore, it is the bone. I am 56 and just started running last year and really enjoy it. I am doing a Nutritional Balancing program and trying to minimalize stress. Could you please advise me on treatment and if I should go back to the minimalist (they were Green something something shoes) and just walk in them? Please advise!! Thanks so much.
I discuss transitioning into min and barefoot here: http://sock-doc.com/2012/03/healthy-people-barefoot-people/.
If you feel like going to minimalist caused problems, then probably too soon. However, I’m surprised that you say (or think) you land on the balls of your feet and then the min shoes caused a problem – because they should have basically kept you on the forefoot. Strange. Though, some shoes don’t work for certain people. I mention that although I think VFFs are great shoes and good for a lot of people, I can’t run more than 30 mins in them w/o pain. I can run barefoot for hours. That’s how it is.
Pain on the shins could be the fascial connections of the muscles. Usually you’re stressing the muscles and feeling it in the bones, but since I can’t tell you exactly what is going on via the internet all I can say other than that is to be smart about it because if it is really on your shins then you could develop a stress fx if you keep it up.
Thanks for the advice – I am definitely going to try this as I have tried the stretching and it’s only a temporary thing and not getting me any better. I have a sore spot about 3 inches up from my left ankle and I think that could be a point so will try massage and see how it goes.
I’ve only been running for a few months (started in February) and have my first 10km race tomorrow so might have left it a bit late for the shin pains I know I’m going to get
but will take your advice for future training and see how it goes.
Thanks again
Hello Soc Doctor,
>
> It has been an absolute pleasure reading your website and learning about your philosophy.
>
> I’m a 38 year-old Irishguy living in the Basque country in Spain. I am a triathlete and I have been a long term sufferer of shin splints. Part of my problem is definitely stress ( I used to suffer from backpain but by miracle I learnt about TMS and now my back is PERFECT).
> I love to run but I am always hampered by pain in the tibialis posterior muscle,ie just under in the inner side of the tibia bone.
>
> I saw you on youtube and you say not to stretch and ice but instead gently massage the trigger points but how do I prevent them from coming back. As a result of the book ” Born to run” I have started going bare foot around the house, SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY, and running in minimalist runners. Do I need to address a muscle imbalance by strenghtening the Tibialis Anterior muscle ? or generally do lower leg exercises to build up all the muscles.
>
> Apologies for the long mail as I’m sure you’re a busy man but I’m desperate for a solution.
>
> Many thanks Dave
Thanks Dave. You address the muscle imbalances by treating the trigger points and other areas of stress as I explain here: http://sock-doc.com/2012/04/trigger-point-therapy/
You can not “turn on” a neurologically weak muscle by exercising it. Never.
I’m a 54-year-old male who runs 9ish-minute miles, about 25-30 miles per week on average. I developed a neuroma a bit over two years ago on my right foot and was put into orthotics with a hefty (but effective) metatarsal pad. Within a year I had strained adductors on both sides and had to take myself out of two marathons (never began them). A year after I developed the neuroma, while I was down with my first strained adductor, I had a 3/4 nerve decompression surgery, which worked well. A few months ago thanks to a good Graston-trained chiropractor, I ran a marathon and I re-developed some neuroma-like symptoms. I’ve been experiencing some pain ON both shins — left worse than my right. I also have shooting pain in my toe if I plantarflex my left foot (pain does not occur while running, thank God). I would love to walk around barefoot, but the neuroma symptoms make it quite uncomfortable. Question: what can I do to reduce the neuroma symptoms and then begin healing the other areas? I wear traditional running shoes — Brooks Adrenalines are my standard. Thanks so much.
Check out the FOOT Video where I discuss neuromas. This is primarily a problem with the soleus muscle, which is closely tied in with the adrenal glands and stress.
http://sock-doc.com/2012/05/foot-injuries/
Hello Sock-Doc,
Dave from Spain here.
I wrote about my CHRONIC SHIN SPLINTS a few months back . I’m delighted to report that by 1)running correctly using minimalist runners 2) no icing or stretching and 3) frequently massaging my feet with a baking rolling pin I have finally, after 20 years, got rid of my shin splints. I’m competing in triathlons and road races with no problems. THANK YOU.
I now have knee pain but I hope to solve that by following your advice.
Many thanks and keep up your invaluable work.
Awesome to hear and thanks for reporting back!
I’m a 34 y/o male who has struggled with shin splints off and on since I began running roughly 3 years ago. My left leg is worse than my right. I have had times when they were severe enough that my shin(s) were actually swollen. Right now I’m going through a rather painful bout of them on both legs.
Do you think I should massage and continue running through the pain, or massage and wait until they go away. I’m extremely bummed out because I’m about 10 weeks into 1/2 marathon training and running the fastest 5k and 10k times of my life. Additionally my 1/2 marathon is only about 5 weeks away.
Part of me wonders if the reason I never get over the shin splints is because I always stop running once I get them.
I’ve been working on my entire gait over the last year. I’ve transitioned to a mid-foot strike, got my cadence up to the upper 80′s per minute (cant quite get to the recommended 90 spm consistently). I have also over the last year gotten out of stability shoes. I currently rotate between Saucony Kinvaras and Brooks Pureflows for progressive and speed work, and Saucony Cortanas for long and recovery runs. I spend nearly all of my time at home barefoot, and at work wear either Merrell Road Gloves or Altra Zero Drop Instincts.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
If you’re running through the pain you’re not doing yourself any favors – possibly increasing damage, other imbalances related to gait, and it’s no fun to run in pain. All those shoes have about a one-inch heel on them. Though they are classified as “minimalist” due to their 4mm drop, they shouldn’t be. Far from it. Could be why you can’t get your cadence up. A cadence of 90 (180) is “natural”, you shouldn’t have to force yourself to get there.
It might take you some time, (maybe not though since you’re already walking barefoot), but my advice is to get out of those thick shoes. You’re walking barefoot and then you’re in zero-drop Merrells and Altras and then when you go run you put on what are essentially like cinder blocks to your feet.
Hey ,
I can feel your frustration and pain. My advice(based on my experience and sock doc’s advice) is don’t stretch or ice them, use a rolling pin to massage your feet and look at the advice on the sock doc site, trigger points etc..Are you doing too much anaerobic training? minimalist running shouldn’t cause such pain. It could be due to stress, as was and sometimes still is a cause of my problems.
best of luck
Thanks for the prompt response. What are your feelings about Newton running shoes and their zero drop? Do you think those would work as well as a minimalist shoe? The reason I ask is I feel (maybe incorrectly) that I do need some cushioning.
I know you are averse to strectching, what are your feelings on foam rollers and “the stick” type apparatus’s? Do you feel they provide the sort of massage that I would need. I have begun using both of those religously.
I had some achilles issues in early spring, so that sort of scared me away from running in a complete zero drop, but now is probably as good a time as any to begin that transition.
@ David, I dont now if I’m doing “too” much anaerobic training. I typically have one hard workout a week which consists of a 15 minute warm-up, and then 40 minutes progressive, and then a 15 minute cool down. It is a very tough workout. A day or 2 before that at the end of one of my easy runs I do 10 x 10 second hill repeats. The repeats definitely get me anaerobic, but the rest of the run is fairly tame.
I do have a ridged foam roller that I use on my legs in general, but admittedly I have never used them on my feet. Definitely something I will begin immediately.
Thanks Gents,
Ronnie
I personally haven’t had much success with Newton. Just what I’ve seen. Personally I’d go with a different type though I’m not bashing Newton – they’re a good group of people with a great concept. I just wish there was ‘less shoe’.
Foam rolling and The Stick are fine; I actually show the Stick in one of my videos.
Thanks for the advice.
I had another question. I havent run since 9.9.12 due to my shin splints, and oddly enough my shins seem to be more sore and tender now than when I was running. Is that normal? I’ve been massaging sore spots a few minutes 2 or 3 times a day, but the soreness persist.
Do you have a recommendation for a good minimalist shoe? Since I already have the Altras and the Merrell Road Gloves do you think I should just give those a shot? Also, do you recommend that I wait until the pain in my shins has completely subsided before I start running again?
Thanks again,
Ronnie
I don’t know why your shins would actually be more sore now that you’re not running – unless you’re irritating them with the trigger point work. Remember, as I mention in the trigger point post – if you’re not improving then you’re not addressing why you have the trigger points. Probably this is the case with you. And yes you might as well try the shoes you already have.
In one of your earlier responses to me you stated that you show the stick in one of your vids. I cant seem to find that particular video. Could you direct me to it?
Thanks again,
Ronnie
Trigger Point Video
Sock Doc,
I am hoping you can help. I am a 35 year old female who is physically active, I lift weights 3 x week and walk for exercise. I have been noticing over the past two years that I am developing small bumps along the shins of both of my legs. They are in a straight line and I have 4 or 5 / leg. There is no pain, no discolouration just small round soft bumps under the skin.
If my legs are relaxed you hardly notice them but if I stand on my toes and lean forward they protrude and bump out. They never cause any pain and they weren’t detected on my recent ultrasound, x-ray or my MRI.
They aren’t veins and my doctors thinks they are small fascial tears causing hernias along the tibia. I am hoping you might be able to offer some advice. I would like to heal these tears, treat the weak fascia and was wondering if you have any massage suggestions or ideas of things I could rub on my shins to heal them. I read that castor oil might be an option?
Your thoughts are appreciated!
Yeah I’d say that the fascial issue is a good bet, it’s not uncommon. So you can try the trigger points that I show in this and the other videos and see if they help. I don’t think castor oil will add any benefit though.
Unbelievable doc. I thought I tore my calf muscle an I hadnt ! Did the pressure points instructions from the video and I can actually put pressure on my leg again! I knew I had shin spints but I had felt severe pain in my calf on my 20mi training run. Toughed through it and haven’t walked rihgt since. Felt it give on about mile 8 of the marathon and by the half way point I was dragging the leg. . Litterally. Do you think I injred my calf as well or can shin slints litterally cause severe pain the calf as well? Btw thank you for the instructions, I’ve gotten horrible advice on how to treat this issue.
Either could cause the problem – it’s an imbalance between your calves and tib anterior (shin muscle).
Whenever your training run is painful you bail, no matter what your plans were.
Dear Sock Doc. I’m a 59 year old woman who is trying to train as a fitness teacher at my late age! For the last 5 weeks I have had bad shin splints on both legs and achilles tendonitis and a sore lateral knee ligament on one leg. I’m going to do the trigger points as shown in your video because as you say, icing and stretching don’t work. I really believe in bare feet as you do and it pains me to see all these children forced into shoes at an early age. In Africa where I live, shoes are an important status symbol indicating you are not poor, so whereas you often see white children going barefoot, it is rare to see black kids walking barefoot anymore. When I was a kid nobody wore shoes in Africa! Everyone was a natural athlete. Please start a world-wide campaign for bare feet so our kids’ feet can develop normally. Thank you so much for you advice and help.
Hi Terry – thanks for your comment from Africa! I’ve heard about the footwear status issue in many other parts of the world too, such as India. It’s too bad, though I understand how it can be perceived that way. People in many parts of the world used to think if you had a fat belly then you were one of wealth!
I have found all this very interesting, I have suffered with MTSS on my prosterior side of both shins now for two years. I tried going barefoot once and it didnt seem to work so great but may not have given it long enough. However my sport is football/soccer so i cannot play barefoot i must wear boots obviously so what i was thinking to start would be just to walk as much as possible in barefoot then wear shoes for excersise outside of that??
Secondly I wear orthotics which are specifically made for my foot i think they have helped however no where near a cure. I can train twice a week tops without pain. And i know you are against orthotics but what i want to ask you is when i first got shin splints i wasn’t wearing orthotics so it cannot possibly have been them that caused it so you can understand the difficulty i have getting my head round taking my orthotics out completely ??
Also is there any strengthening excersises you can tell me which will therefore make the transition from orthotics to no orthotics easier ??
Sorry for all the questions would much appreciate your views on this because I’m only twenty and i can only play twice a week ???
See my Foot Strength Video for exercises and the Lose Your Shoes article for more on transition.
Hi there,
I am an 31 year old female, used to run daily (in the conventional running shoes) until mid last year, when I got a metatarsal stress-fracture. After getting out of the cast in September last year I refused to believe that I need orthotics and did a lot of reading on the whole barefoot-running and minimalistic shoewear. I did a lot of foot-exercises, elliptical, heel-raises and what not to strengthen my feet again and did a lot of walking daily until I tried introducing running back into my routine. I started with twice a week 20 minutes, which was giving me sore calves at the beginning in minimalist shoes (4 mm drop), so I did some massaging and took it slow. After doing it for about three weeks I went to do it three times a week and developed pain on the medial side of the tibia. So I stopped running altogether for 12 days, then tried again, but the pain would come back again.. not too bad, but I felt if I go out within the next few days after that, it would get worse. Calves are not sore anymore, am still doing a lot of walking (up to 2 hours +) everyday in zero drop shoes.
Question is now: do I need to stop running for longer to completely heal things, and for how long roughly? Or do I just wait a few days more inbetween the next running trials and massage more?
I really do not want to go back to wearing heeled trainers…. so I’d appreciate any tips! Thank you!!
Check out this article and video:
http://sock-doc.com/2012/03/healthy-people-barefoot-people/
http://sock-doc.com/2013/01/foot_strength-foot_rehabilitation/
Hi there! I just wanted to say how much your info and site have helped!! I took it very slow, massaged and started from zero, adding one minute more of running in place each day. Did balancing exercises as you explain in the videos and I am now able to run 20 minutes already without any pain whatsoever! Feeling great, thank you so much!!
Awesome! Thanks for the report.
Thanks for the video, I wish you had a clinic in the UK so I could come see you!
I started running 2 years ago in VFF’s and got up to doing half marathons with no issues. Started off slow and I’d never previously run in traditional shoes so found a high cadence light midfoot landing just came naturally to me.
For the past 6 months I’ve been struggling with a painful left shin on the inside 3-4 inches from the ankle bone. On the flat part of the bone it’s fine, but very painful on the inside part of the bone when pressed on (and also after about 3 miles running). The muscle itself there feels fine, it’s on the “sharp” inside of the shin bone for lack of a medical term!
I haven’t run in weeks now but it’s still sore to touch. I’m going to follow your video and rub down both legs looking for trigger points in the calf muscles, as I have read that where it is sore there is a muscle that attaches to the bone, and wondering if something tight could be keeping tension on it. Do you think this sounds likely or could I be looking at a stress fracture
I missed our half marathon on the weekend due to this and it’s getting me down not being able to get outside and get the lungs working!
Thanks again for all the time you’ve spent on this site – really glad I found it.
Adam
Sure that could be a stress fracture. Impossible for me to know. Sometimes even an early X-Ray will miss them. Check out the article on this SD site about stress fractures.
Hello Sock Doc,
I am wondering if transitional shoes are viable for people with flat feet.
I visited a podiatrist who sold me a pair of orthotics (wish I found this article earlier to save myself the money). The podiatrist said that because I have flat feet, I will want to wear shoes with A LOT of support. But reading some of the articles here, it seems that going bare foot or wearing vibrams is what we want to shoot for.
So is it a misconception that people with flat feet shouldn’t wear transitional shoes?
Also, I train in muay thai and I am always jumping up and down barefoot. Overtime, this lead to shin splints. I really want to compete and don’t want to stop training. Do you have an advice for this situation? And yes, I just started doing trigger point massages.
Please read this; thanks!
http://sock-doc.com/sock-doc-questions-comments/
Oh, one more thing.
Should I be doing shin strengthening exercises? I have been told by several people to strengthen my shin muscles.
Thank you very much! I appreciate what you’re doing here.
Please read this; thanks!
http://sock-doc.com/sock-doc-questions-comments/
im working on a wonderopolis in school and your info really helped me and my partner
Just read your shin splint article- right on!! I have enough medical knowledge to completely understand your excellent video. My problem was due mainly to shoes. My right hiking shoe crunched my toes and hurt during the hike. In addition, it’s been 2 months since previous hike & also had a weight gain of 10+ lbs. Although the hike wasn’t too strenuous, all these factors contributed to the strain. i followed your massaging of the pressure points & it work very well. I’m going to search for a video that explains stretching and improving strength in these and other leg muscles.
Thank you = Jeff
Does anyone out there know of Sock Doc videos regarding strengthening lower leg muscles to prevent shin splints?
Video here, note not for really “preventing” anything – depends on why the SS are there in first place.
http://sock-doc.com/2013/01/foot_strength-foot_rehabilitation/
Hi,
I just started walking 4 days a week about 3 weeks ago and the front of my lower leg burns! I’m really discouraged. I walk outside and it is very hilly where I live. It’s a good workout . I am only 5 feet 1 inch tall. I am walking at a 3.2-3.3 mile speed and was going about 2.2 miles. The last few days I have had to cut it short 1.4 miles because of the burn. I am a hairdresser and stand for 10-12 hours 4 days a week. I am sure my legs are tight so I have been stretching. I use REEBOK ZIGZAGS should I get a more minimal shoe? it makes sense in your video the heel on my shoe is pretty high and coming down just like you said in the video.
Thanks for the help!!
Please read this; thanks!
http://sock-doc.com/sock-doc-questions-comments/
I haven’t had shin splints since high school — but I do recall how much they HURT. One of my teammates even got frostbite from all ice packs!
Anyhow, I’m trying to get healthier feet (mod. bunions, fallen arches, and numbness/pricklies in both middle toes) by following the advice on your excellent site.
Question about this video. When you mention tenderness and trigger points — specifically along the tibia starting around 3:33 — how much soreness indicates “yes, there’s a problem here”? Because when I press moderately hard along the tibia, where the muscle joins it, it feels like I’m pressing on a bruise. I thought that was normal? Is it?
PS, love your videos, they really help explain the concepts!
You have to distinguish between “therapeutic” soreness and damaging pain/soreness. The therapeutic type should feel better when you’re done. = less pain = better mobility.