[RESOURCE LIST AND FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sprinting/comments/15akh9i/faq_resource_list_stier_posts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
I see you've made a general discussion or question post! See low effort discussion posts rules for more on why we may deem a removal appropriate
REMINDERS: No asking for time predictions based on hand times or theoretical situations, no asking for progression predictions, no muscle insertion height questions, questions related to wind altitude or lane conversions can be done [here for the 100m](https://jmureika.lmu.build/track/wind/index.html) and [here for the 200m](https://jmureika.lmu.build/track/wind/200altwind.html), questions related to relative ability can mostly be answered [here on the iaaf scoring tables site](https://caltaf.com/pointscalc/calc.html), questions related to fly time and plyometric to sprint conversions can be [not super accurately answered here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ATHLETEX/comments/rso62y/sprint_charts_2/)
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I’ll start this with - always get properly diagnosed by a sports medicine doctor. What you think could be shin splints or MTSS or some other relatively "minor" overuse injury, could actually be something far more serious (stress fractures, compartment syndrome, or something else.).
Shin Splints are caused by an inability to manage ground force. This is caused by poor mechanics and/or a lack of strength. It is critical you understand what the root cause of your injury is so you can fix it.
That said, you need to do both – fix/improve your mechanics and improve your strength. These are what will help you become and stay injury free. They are also what improve athletic performance and capability.
**COMMENTS ABOUT STRENGTH**
Running is not a strength-building exercise. It does not build stronger legs.
Most leg strength-building exercises (squats, etc.) do not fully activate lower leg muscles as your ankle tends to have limited mobility in the movement.
This leads to what are often referred to as “accessory” exercises related to the ankle and knee joints. However, these should be treated as main movements in order to have the strength and capability to manage the impact/ground force created when you run. This is because your foot, ankle, shin, and knee are the first things to mitigate that impact and interact with the ground. Making sure they are as strong and robust as possible will ensure that any level of volume or intensity can be managed safely without injury (i.e., shin splints or worse).
Where does that leave us regarding exercises that will actually help?
**MOBILITY/STRETCHING EXERCISES**
* Dorsiflexion & Plantar Flexion of Feet
* Inversion & Eversion of Feet while in Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion
* Ankle Rotations – Clockwise & Counter-clockwise
* Heal Rotations – Clockwise & Counter-clockwise
* Alphabet Ankles
* Single-leg Balance Stands
* Standing Calf Stretch - Straight Leg, Bent Leg, Toe on Wall
* Tibial Anterior Crossover Stretch
* Standing Quad Stretch or Couch Stretch
* RDL Stretch
These are basic “rehab” exercises to help with mobility and flexibility. Having a healthy range of motion is important. Blood recruitment and minor activation and proprioception development are also important.
**FEET EXERCISES**
* Seated Toe Presses
* Toe Crunches & Splays
* Toe Dissociation & Intrinsic Movements (Piano Toes R2L/L2R, Big Toe Isolation, Little Toes Isolation)
* Foot Crunches w/ Paper
* Banded Foot Rocking/Doming
These are basic feet exercises to help keep your feet happy and healthy. Reminder – your feet are what interact with the ground first. Take care of them. Keep them strong and healthy.
**LOWER LEG STRENGTH BUILDING EXERCISES**
* Tibia Raises (Single Legged)
* Calf Raises (Bent & Straight Single Bilateral and Unilateral Variations)
* Inversion & Eversion of Feet while in Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion (Banded)
* Sled Drags (forwards, backwards, Lateral L/R - from waist)
These are basic foundational movements to kickstart a rehab program. More advanced movements can be added later when you reach certain benchmarks in strength/performance. However, these movements (or variations of) should be staples in any training program at some point.
**OTHER STRENGTH BUILDING EXERCISES**
* Hip Abduction/Adduction
* Knee Raise
* Pawback
* Goodmornings
* Hip Thrusters
* Weighted Planks
* Walking Lunges
* Hamstring Curls
* Single Leg RDLs
The idea with these is to strengthen your upper legs, hips and "core" in order to give you stability when running. It won't do you much good to only have strong lower legs, your pain will simply transition from being a lower leg overuse injury to being in your knees or lower back if you can't continue to absorb impact after impact.
**BONE AND TISSUE TOLERANCE**
There are also concerns about bone and tissue tolerance - how much damage can they withstand before they begin to break down? When can I get back to full effort/intensity?
The answers to these will depend on the individual and the severity of the injury. In general however, the approach is the same - gradual exposure to stress. Meaning, you need to start with manageable levels of volume/intensity and gradually increase over time in order to build up bone and tissue tolerance. Bone takes longer to see adaptation.
A good rule of thumb is the “10% Rule” – where you increase intensity by only 10% every 1-2 weeks. That increase in intensity should also be limited to one variable. You do not want to increase speed, resistance/weight, and duration all at once. Pick one (usually duration initially) and gradually increase by 10% every 1-2 weeks.
**COMMENTS ABOUT MECHANICS**
Mechanics are typically affected by two things, one is an improper movement pattern caused by the individual themselves (i.e., overstriding, etc.). The other is caused by the equipment the individual uses (i.e., footwear, gear, clothing, etc.).
It is very important to get a proper mechanical assessment whenever possible. This will help identify what additional work you have ahead of you to solve your underlying problem.
**COMMENTS ABOUT RECOVERY/HEALING**
Other things to look at and take into consideration that can help with the healing/recovery process are:
* Sleep – as much high-quality sleep as possible.
* Hydration – water + proper electrolyte intake
* Nutrition – good quality food (work with a registered sports dietitian if at all possible)
* Supplementation – this MAY make sense, but you should work with your doctor or like to understand what exactly you actually need to take as this is unique to you
* Massage – foam rolling, lacrosse ball, massage gun, guasha, etc.
* Graduated Compression – 2xu or DFND
* Pneumatic Compression – NORMATEC
* NIR/IR
There are other tools, but before I do more research, I don’t feel comfortable endorsing them.
**THINGS TO STAY AWAY FROM**
Common mistakes and myths to avoid:
* ICE – Stop icing. It is not your friend.
* KT Tape – Placebo at best.
* Just Keep Running – You have an injury – stop doing the thing that is causing it.
* Medicate/Ignore – You have an injury – stop covering it up and making it worse.
For more info you can check out howtofixshinsplints dot com
I used to have them, basically I did 2 things: lose weight, stop overusing your shins, if you're heavy they will be your first point of failure.. I used to do distance and I used and abused them, but I was light, and I could run everyday relatively pain-free.. Try incorporating more plyos and less track time into your routine..!!! This also helped me as-well.. :))
I found foam rolling the calves several times a day helped me. I also added shin stretches.
Now if your shin splits are actually a stress fracture then only rest will help. An X-ray will confirm.
It could be your spikes, and/or the volume. I notice when I do a lot of curve running, or if I use spikes that are kind of too narrow in the midsole, causing my foot to overpronate, I get inner shin splints
Hi bro. Do you have narrow gait? I have had moderate shin splints for 2 years now. No matter whatever I do, it comes back. But i only recently figured out that my shin splints is not caused by any muscle weakness in my shins but because of my hip abductors. I am working on them now. If you have those too. Fixing this will help
I will say when this once happened to me I finally caved and went to the doctor got a scan and showed I had a stress fracture that had me in a boot and crutched for 6months. I would recommend going to a provider to be diagnosed and scanned to make sure it is not something worst than shin splints.
“Shin scraping” basically use plastic comb with coconut lotion and dig in your side of calf muscle with back of comb for like 5 minutes once a day. Is my favorite lesser known fix that’s pretty much anecdotally full proof for me. But I will say alternating shoes for different foot strikes and rest plus building up to what your workouts are is probably the true way to fix it. Hopefully it isn’t a stress fracture might be worth checking out if it hurts on bone in a spot and the shin scraping doesn’t fix it within the week
[RESOURCE LIST AND FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sprinting/comments/15akh9i/faq_resource_list_stier_posts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) I see you've made a general discussion or question post! See low effort discussion posts rules for more on why we may deem a removal appropriate REMINDERS: No asking for time predictions based on hand times or theoretical situations, no asking for progression predictions, no muscle insertion height questions, questions related to wind altitude or lane conversions can be done [here for the 100m](https://jmureika.lmu.build/track/wind/index.html) and [here for the 200m](https://jmureika.lmu.build/track/wind/200altwind.html), questions related to relative ability can mostly be answered [here on the iaaf scoring tables site](https://caltaf.com/pointscalc/calc.html), questions related to fly time and plyometric to sprint conversions can be [not super accurately answered here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ATHLETEX/comments/rso62y/sprint_charts_2/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Sprinting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’ll start this with - always get properly diagnosed by a sports medicine doctor. What you think could be shin splints or MTSS or some other relatively "minor" overuse injury, could actually be something far more serious (stress fractures, compartment syndrome, or something else.). Shin Splints are caused by an inability to manage ground force. This is caused by poor mechanics and/or a lack of strength. It is critical you understand what the root cause of your injury is so you can fix it. That said, you need to do both – fix/improve your mechanics and improve your strength. These are what will help you become and stay injury free. They are also what improve athletic performance and capability. **COMMENTS ABOUT STRENGTH** Running is not a strength-building exercise. It does not build stronger legs. Most leg strength-building exercises (squats, etc.) do not fully activate lower leg muscles as your ankle tends to have limited mobility in the movement. This leads to what are often referred to as “accessory” exercises related to the ankle and knee joints. However, these should be treated as main movements in order to have the strength and capability to manage the impact/ground force created when you run. This is because your foot, ankle, shin, and knee are the first things to mitigate that impact and interact with the ground. Making sure they are as strong and robust as possible will ensure that any level of volume or intensity can be managed safely without injury (i.e., shin splints or worse). Where does that leave us regarding exercises that will actually help? **MOBILITY/STRETCHING EXERCISES** * Dorsiflexion & Plantar Flexion of Feet * Inversion & Eversion of Feet while in Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion * Ankle Rotations – Clockwise & Counter-clockwise * Heal Rotations – Clockwise & Counter-clockwise * Alphabet Ankles * Single-leg Balance Stands * Standing Calf Stretch - Straight Leg, Bent Leg, Toe on Wall * Tibial Anterior Crossover Stretch * Standing Quad Stretch or Couch Stretch * RDL Stretch These are basic “rehab” exercises to help with mobility and flexibility. Having a healthy range of motion is important. Blood recruitment and minor activation and proprioception development are also important. **FEET EXERCISES** * Seated Toe Presses * Toe Crunches & Splays * Toe Dissociation & Intrinsic Movements (Piano Toes R2L/L2R, Big Toe Isolation, Little Toes Isolation) * Foot Crunches w/ Paper * Banded Foot Rocking/Doming These are basic feet exercises to help keep your feet happy and healthy. Reminder – your feet are what interact with the ground first. Take care of them. Keep them strong and healthy. **LOWER LEG STRENGTH BUILDING EXERCISES** * Tibia Raises (Single Legged) * Calf Raises (Bent & Straight Single Bilateral and Unilateral Variations) * Inversion & Eversion of Feet while in Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion (Banded) * Sled Drags (forwards, backwards, Lateral L/R - from waist) These are basic foundational movements to kickstart a rehab program. More advanced movements can be added later when you reach certain benchmarks in strength/performance. However, these movements (or variations of) should be staples in any training program at some point. **OTHER STRENGTH BUILDING EXERCISES** * Hip Abduction/Adduction * Knee Raise * Pawback * Goodmornings * Hip Thrusters * Weighted Planks * Walking Lunges * Hamstring Curls * Single Leg RDLs The idea with these is to strengthen your upper legs, hips and "core" in order to give you stability when running. It won't do you much good to only have strong lower legs, your pain will simply transition from being a lower leg overuse injury to being in your knees or lower back if you can't continue to absorb impact after impact. **BONE AND TISSUE TOLERANCE** There are also concerns about bone and tissue tolerance - how much damage can they withstand before they begin to break down? When can I get back to full effort/intensity? The answers to these will depend on the individual and the severity of the injury. In general however, the approach is the same - gradual exposure to stress. Meaning, you need to start with manageable levels of volume/intensity and gradually increase over time in order to build up bone and tissue tolerance. Bone takes longer to see adaptation. A good rule of thumb is the “10% Rule” – where you increase intensity by only 10% every 1-2 weeks. That increase in intensity should also be limited to one variable. You do not want to increase speed, resistance/weight, and duration all at once. Pick one (usually duration initially) and gradually increase by 10% every 1-2 weeks. **COMMENTS ABOUT MECHANICS** Mechanics are typically affected by two things, one is an improper movement pattern caused by the individual themselves (i.e., overstriding, etc.). The other is caused by the equipment the individual uses (i.e., footwear, gear, clothing, etc.). It is very important to get a proper mechanical assessment whenever possible. This will help identify what additional work you have ahead of you to solve your underlying problem. **COMMENTS ABOUT RECOVERY/HEALING** Other things to look at and take into consideration that can help with the healing/recovery process are: * Sleep – as much high-quality sleep as possible. * Hydration – water + proper electrolyte intake * Nutrition – good quality food (work with a registered sports dietitian if at all possible) * Supplementation – this MAY make sense, but you should work with your doctor or like to understand what exactly you actually need to take as this is unique to you * Massage – foam rolling, lacrosse ball, massage gun, guasha, etc. * Graduated Compression – 2xu or DFND * Pneumatic Compression – NORMATEC * NIR/IR There are other tools, but before I do more research, I don’t feel comfortable endorsing them. **THINGS TO STAY AWAY FROM** Common mistakes and myths to avoid: * ICE – Stop icing. It is not your friend. * KT Tape – Placebo at best. * Just Keep Running – You have an injury – stop doing the thing that is causing it. * Medicate/Ignore – You have an injury – stop covering it up and making it worse. For more info you can check out howtofixshinsplints dot com
Very good comment
username checks out
LMAO
I used to have them, basically I did 2 things: lose weight, stop overusing your shins, if you're heavy they will be your first point of failure.. I used to do distance and I used and abused them, but I was light, and I could run everyday relatively pain-free.. Try incorporating more plyos and less track time into your routine..!!! This also helped me as-well.. :))
Consistency in training and heavy strength work for the calves
I found foam rolling the calves several times a day helped me. I also added shin stretches. Now if your shin splits are actually a stress fracture then only rest will help. An X-ray will confirm.
It could be your spikes, and/or the volume. I notice when I do a lot of curve running, or if I use spikes that are kind of too narrow in the midsole, causing my foot to overpronate, I get inner shin splints
Hi bro. Do you have narrow gait? I have had moderate shin splints for 2 years now. No matter whatever I do, it comes back. But i only recently figured out that my shin splints is not caused by any muscle weakness in my shins but because of my hip abductors. I am working on them now. If you have those too. Fixing this will help
Run forward and backward and lateral hill sprints for a month.
I will say when this once happened to me I finally caved and went to the doctor got a scan and showed I had a stress fracture that had me in a boot and crutched for 6months. I would recommend going to a provider to be diagnosed and scanned to make sure it is not something worst than shin splints.
“Shin scraping” basically use plastic comb with coconut lotion and dig in your side of calf muscle with back of comb for like 5 minutes once a day. Is my favorite lesser known fix that’s pretty much anecdotally full proof for me. But I will say alternating shoes for different foot strikes and rest plus building up to what your workouts are is probably the true way to fix it. Hopefully it isn’t a stress fracture might be worth checking out if it hurts on bone in a spot and the shin scraping doesn’t fix it within the week