What to do when injured

[teresand77]

Hi everyone, i've never posted here before and i actually just found out about elitefitness a couple of weeks ago and have learned a ton already so thanks!

i'm just wondering if any of you have any injuries that just seem to keep coming back and how you deal with it...i have something wrong with both of my shins. when i run or do anything that puts stress on the shins (even walking in heels) they feel really, really tight and it is really painful. i went to the doctor and she thought it was shin splints which i am pretty sure it's not because i've had them before and wouldn't they go away after a month of no cardio at all?
i am getting sort of depressed because i haven't been able to get back to my regular routine in the gym in about a month. i think that i may have been overtraining before but now that i am easing up it still doesn't seem to be any better. i am only 25 and i seem to have a lot of little nagging injuries lately and i guess i was just wondering if anyone had any advice...

thanks,
teresa

 

[Gladiola]

Whatever you do, be REALLY Careful about what doc you go to - if you do decide to go (I personally got great suggestions via e-mail & online about what my problems could be, but that's no substitute for a hands-on eval).

My crazy mid-life-crisis-in-his-early-30's orthopedist told me he used to get shin splints from running & there's NOTHING he can do about it - everything he tried failed, & he has concluded he just can't run, so he doesn't. I'm getting another opinion!

Sorry that wasn't real helpful. I'm seeing a Physical Therapist & on the advice of a good PT friend, in order to find a PT with a good attitude (i.e. one who comprehends how paramount it is that I exercise - and with intensity!) I sought a PT who's also a certified athletic trainer. I have an apt for Friday.

 

[teirrah]

Hi there and a big welcome.
Just to add my two cents, if your shin pain is from shin splints then probably you will need longer than a month of no running at all before they heal. Way back when I first came to Japan I did distance running and once had to stop for 5 months while my shins recovered. If you can then I'd get them checked out by a sports doctor and follow his/her advice. If it is shin splints then they do heal but when you start running again its a good idea to really take it gently, run less than you can, take more recovery time than you think you need, warm up like you're obsessed and build up your mileage bank really slowly. Also you might look at the soles of your shoes to see how you run, and if you're wearing them noticably in particular places then your next pair might help if they are designed for runners with particular pronation problems. Any good running shoe shop will be able to advise.
Do you run on a treadmill, or on roads?Camber makes a difference
How often, how far, were you running before your shin problem,
also what's your running history?

 

[MS]

Injuries such as shin splints (IF that's what you have) take a while to heal completely, and even then you may always be prone to them (and it appears to get worse as you age).

My suggestion is that you find other activities for now. Maybe rowing, swimming, tae bo, or, heaven forbid, WEIGHT TRAINING in the interim. Give yourself a decent amount of time off of running (months) and then gradually reintroduce it if you still want to run. But please make sure that the "shin splint" diagnosis is accurate first.

 

[teresand77]

thanks everyone for the replies!

another problem is that they even hurt when i'm not running. i can't even do most lower body exercises right now and the only thing with my legs that i've been able to do for short periods of time is the bike. and really, as sad or obsessive as this may sound, i pretty much plan my life around the gym. i was telling my friend the other day i didn't know what i would do now that i've had to tone down my workouts and he said, "maybe you should get a life."

as for my running history, i ran cross country in high school and have run probably 3-5 times a week ever since for no more than 45 minutes but probably more like a half hour. usually on the treadmill since i live in the north. my friend suggested that it might be chronic compartment syndrome which kind of sounds right so i am going to ask about that tomorrow.

gladiola--i laughed when i read what your doctor said because mine was an older lady and she said, "you have to be careful when you get into exercising...once after i ran my hamstrings got sore!" tomorrow i am going back to the doctor but to another one.

well, thanks again. i'll keep you updated

teresa