How to Reduce the Pain of Shin Splints

Shin Splints

In my book The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook, I outline an 8-week fitness routine to get in shape for basic training.  Getting in shape for basic training is great, but sometimes it can leave you with shin splints.

Shin splints are a common cause for concern for each military recruit. Whether you are leaving for Air Force boot camp and just trying to prepare yourself for the Army basic training workout, shin splints can easily occur. And, to make it even worse, there is no magic pill to cure them.  Shin splints are a result of fatigue and trauma of the muscles near your shins.  This trauma can feel like someone is hammering at your shins with each step. For military fitness style workouts, shin splints can definitely be a road block, and surviving boot camp will be that much harder.  

The Army basic training schedule leaves little room for rest and relaxation, so what can a recruit do to get rid of shin splints before arriving at basic training? Lots!

First things first, get new shoes. Most recruits don't get the right shoes. Shoes should fit comfortable and feel well, if they do not, you are adding trauma to your shins with every step you take. Shin splints often occur with new shoes, if this happens, simply get new shoes that fit better and you will see shin splints quickly disappear.

Another quick fix for shin splints is to practice running on soft surfaces, not pavement. Running on grass should help the pain subside.

Rest may not be a luxury you have if your in training, however, if your shins are throbbing even when sitting on the sofa, you must stay off them as much as possible

Another cause of shin splints is being overweight.  If you are overweight and have time to drop a few pounds, you will put less stress on your shins.

Last but not least, try adjusting your running technique. Get some gel insoles for your shoes. This will angle your foot toward your toes slightly. You should try running on your toes more than the heels of your foot. When you run on the heels of your foot on a hard surface, your shin is experiencing too much trauma for your muscles to bear.

Follow the above tips when undergoing an Army physical fitness program and surviving boot camp will be a lot less painful

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: Torch]

Something to consider, when shin splints, muscle pain, or sprain is involved, is to use acupressure. It may sound masochistic, but if you break down the area of pain with direct pressure, you can displace the fluid build up, as well as separate the tissue that's locked together. That, in conjunction with cold compresses and a tens machine, you can heal faster.

[#2 Posted by: Raza]

Running has never been my thing... I'd rather run up 19 flights of stairs than run, but that's just me.

I do some isometric exercises with my
strength training exercise routine, but I know I need to run. Shin splints have always been an issue for me the few times that I did run. I've found that stretching your shin/calf muscles before and after a run helps too sometimes.

[#3 Posted by: John Howard]

Well, I made it through Basic training 26 years ago and endured shin splints , now at 47 I'm trying to recapture my youth in some way , I thought that shin splints were bad when I was 21, but now they're killing me. The only thing that helps me is to streach my feet backwards, streaching all the connect tissue from the top of my feet up my shins.

[#4 Posted by: Raciel]

Get the correct type of shoe (i.e., if it's a running shoe, get your gait and foot strike analyzed at a running store such as Road Runner Sports. They'll do it for free and give you recommendations on which shoe is right for your type of feet.)

If the shoes don't do the trick (or if you have to wear whatever they give you), look into insoles, custom orthotics and/or visit a podiatrist. The key is to correct the way your foot lands with orthotics molded to the shape of your feet.

Stretching (before and after!) also helps loads. Ultimately, correcting the way you run will help greatly as already mentioned by the article: don't lean too much (front or back) and don't land on the balls of your feet with your toes pointing outwards.

[#5 Posted by: jason]

Most of what was said above doesn't do anything be mask the problem. Shin Splint are cause two reason weak muscles in that region or cramping of the muscles. New shoe and run soft surfaces like grass, dirt and sand only help if already hurt. Unless your shoe are fall apart, extreme worn, or over year old sometime 2 year depend on condition and material of the shoe.
Best thing if you have shin splint is icing for 15 min 2 to 3 time a day for at least one week. Use heat for 15 min before any activity.
To prevent shin splints couples excises:
Quarter pick-up:
Place quarter on carpet or towel and pick it up with you toes. Do this several time in a row 2 to 3 time a day. Can be done standing or sitting.
Towel crunch:
Place a towel flat on a hard smooth surface. Crunch the towel up in your toes until you can not anymore. Reposition the towel flat again and repeat. Do this several time about 2 to 3 time daily. Best sitting down but can be stand for it.
Toes raise:
2 parts
-First while standing flat on the ground raise your toes off the ground do as far as you can for 5 count do this 10 to 15 time twice daily
-Second while Stand flat on the ground raise your heal of your foot off the ground as far as you can for 5 count do this 10 to 15 time twice daily

Couples of Stretches to help prevent shin splints
Toe Point:
Raise your one foot off the ground and then point you toes back at the ground. Hold for a 5 to 10 count do this 5 times each foot
Wall Iso:
Stand facing a wall. Place one foot on the wall at 45 degree angle with toes about 2 to 6 inch off the ground on the wall and heal of your foot on the ground. Now try to put your stomach to the wall and hold. Hold for a 5 to 10 count do this 5 times each foot.
Toes Raise:
Just like the excise except hold for a 2 count do this 5 times each foot.

Run technique is as good to practice remember to run on the balls of the foot not flat footed or side of you feet. Look at track shoe they have no heal and spike on the toes and ball of the foot. Practice on straight line, move opposite hand and foot(example left foot forward and right hand foward), exaggerate movement make body remember the movements.

Just little help from
High school and college track and football athelete. Plus I have bachelor in Science of Physical Education
Semper fi

Posted by: jason

[#6 Posted by: Mike]

Jason
thanks for your comment on my shin splint article. however, please be aware that before you say that the advice in my articles only "mask the problem" you should know that referenced medical journals and active doctors to complete that article. Furthermore, the title of the article is how to reduce the pain of shin splints, your advice was on prevention, which is a seperate topic