Treating Shin Pain

Are you feeling shin pain during or after your run? Here are some tips for treating and preventing shin splints.



1) Warm up at the beginning of your run.

One common cause of shin pain is starting out too fast when you run or workout. To prevent this, make sure to start out slow and warm up. If you're going for a run, start out at a slow jogging pace (if that's your average pace already, start with a five minute walk).

Warm up for five to ten minutes, stop and stretch and then have at it, run like the wind.

This is especially important to remember when you're racing since it's so easy to get caught up in a race and start running too fast in the beginning and injure your shins.

2) Recover with cross training.

Working the same muscles over and over again, without giving them a chance to recover, can cause shin pain. That's why it's important to give yourself some variety in your workouts.

Instead of running every day, add one or two days a week of cross training such as biking, swimming, elliptical, rebounding or just a nice, long, power walk.

3) Stretch.

Stretching is very important. At least stretch at the end of your run. It's also helpful to stop and stretch after you've warmed up five - ten minutes.

If I'm running a long run and I start to feel like my legs are a long garden hose with kinks that won't let the water through, I've found stopping and stretching always has an instant affect. It improves my runs, and helps avoid shin splints and other aches and pains.

4) Running is great, but strength training is important too!

I don't know what it is about us runners. We seem to love running but hate stretching and strength training. But these are very important to our running and overall health.

When I started having shin and knee pain during my training for my first marathon, my coach advised me to add strength training 2-3 times week and in just a week, I was already feeling better.

The idea is, if you're upper legs are not strong enough to carry their own weight, the lower legs have to carry it all, and come on, they already take such a pounding! Give the little guys a break for once and make the big guys put in their fair share.

Click here for tips on weight training for runners.

5) Invest in a good pair of running shoes.

If you don't spend any other money on running or racing, at least invest in a good pair of running shoes. Your running shoes can make or break you, and I mean in the long run.

In my running experience, more problems are caused from running in bad running shoes than anything else. So what makes a good pair of running shoes? 1) They are right for you. 2) They are in good condition and not worn out. Click here for help choosing a good pair of running shoes.

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