Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Posterior Shin Splint

My current "injury"

Forefoot running was not meshing well with my left leg. My plantar would be upset, my ankle would need more support, and my calf would always be really really sore, but it was pains I could power through. Then recently, I got a 'new' pain that was much different.

This pain felt more like a really deep painful bruise on the lower, inner section of my left calf. Around 3-5 inches above the ankle. The foam roller couldn't help this time. The Pain would last about 3 days, but would come back again, with intense usage.

I started to google and narrowed it down to either a posterior shin splint or a stress fracture. I set up a meeting with my podiatrist who did an xray and thankfully said its not a stress fracture, and was as I suspected, a posterior shin splint.

I told him my new method of training, forefoot running. The strange thing is my right leg has No pains at all. no soreness, nothing. 100% left. so odd.

anyways, he explained that the Normal shin splints we get, (on the front of the leg -shin) is caused because that muscle is pulling our foot upwards (figure 1). Where as for me, from Forefoot running, my foot is in the downward position more (figure 2), which uses the posterior mucles, hence over use= shin splint

I asked him what a stress fracture would feel like, and he said:
1- a constant pain
2- more of a throbbing, stabbing pain, that would get get worse even with walking.

At least now I will be able to tell the difference.

For now I'm gonna go back to my old midfoot strike. But I'm really happy its just shin splint, and nothing worse. Horray!!



Figure 1
This is where the pain was.












Figure 2

6 comments:

  1. I was getting horrible shin splints and then I changed me stride to hit with the middle of my foot. My pace is slower, but I don't have pain.

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  2. Yea, good ol' midfoot striking.. I am slower, but at least its pain/injury free..

    This posterior shin splint feels different than the one you get on the front of the leg, which is why I didn't suspect shin splint to begin with. But I guess because the muscle is deeper, thats why the pain feels different.

    my podiatrist did agree a mid-foot strike its better because you use all the muscles in your legs, as opposed to using 1 section more than the other.

    He also said that with forefoot running, he's seen a lot of people getting stress fractures in the fore foot (which I've heard from others as well)

    as great as it was, I'll probably need to get some professional training to see why my left leg is not getting with the program, but that will be at a later date.. :)

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  3. Kim GonzalezMarch 02, 2014

    It is exactly what I have!!! :-( I was so cautious to focus on my foot strikes and then lost sight and ...well here we are. Gonna have take whatever time is necessary to get this under control...and I WILL!!!!!

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  4. can i use any specific gel for the shin splints pain area?

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    Replies
    1. I think any type of muscle pain relieving gel or method that suits you. For holistic treatments, peppermint with lemongrass oils can be effective. and traditionally Ice usually works too.

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  5. I’m having the exact problem with mine it hurts so bad

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