FitSugar

Training For a Marathon With Shin Splints

Fit Community — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:18:35 PST

It's marathon season, and FitSugar reader isureamheather has caught the bug. Unfortunately, she's a few weeks into her training program and experiencing those dreaded shin splints. She posted this question about how to deal in our RunningSugar group.

Hi all! I'm new to the group (hello!) and hoping some of you might have some advice. I've recently kicked up my running to start a 12-week half marathon training program. I'm really jazzed about it and the first two weeks went well (I'm up to the point where I'm running about 4 miles, but lower distances staggered throughout the week). However, I've started having terrible shin splints (which I haven't had since I first started running over a year ago) and they're awful. I even went so far as to pick up a new pair of sneakers (I was due), but it's barely helping. Any advice? Pre- or post-workout stuff I should be doing? Thanks for your help!
- Heather

Training for a marathon with shin splints? Ouch! Shin splints are the bane of runners everywhere - the injury frequently occurs in runners just starting out or those who make a change to their routine too quickly (like moving to a different surface, or starting out too fast after a period of inactivity). The crippling, shooting pain you feel around your shins can make it hard to do high impact activities, especially running. We're glad you went and bought supportive shoes already, since the correct pair of running shoes can go a long way in making sure you stay injury-free. Here are some more tips for you for managing your shin splints and preventing them from happening again.

DrSugar: Dealing With a Strained Muscle?

DrSugar — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 04:30:56 PST

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I think I strained my hamstring sprinting at the end of a run. I don’t think I pulled or tore it - there was no bruising. I guess I am not as in shape as I used to be. I iced it when it started feeling weird, about an hour to two after my workout, but when do I start heat? How long should I wait to stretch it? Is strength training a good idea?
- Harming the Hammies

Thank you so much for this great question, as I’m sure there are many readers out there who have suffered a muscle strain and had similar questions regarding how to manage the condition. To clarify, I’m sure readers out there are wondering . . . well what’s the difference between a muscle strain and a muscle sprain? A muscle strain is a stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon and often occurs in the lower back and in the hamstring muscle in the back of your thigh. A muscle sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments (tough bands of tissue that connect one bone to another in a joint) - think ankle sprain.

Keep reading for advice on treating a muscle strain.

Can You Pull a Kelly Ripa: Sit Out Instead of Sweat Out?

Michele Bell — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:00:59 PST

There comes a time in nearly everyone's life where physical limitations get in the way. I've had a shattered ankle, sprained ligaments, and broken bones that have often left me on the sideline cheering my teammates on instead of joining them on the field. But, truth be told, I didn't always hate it when I was told I needed to "sit this one out." In fact, I sometimes (gasp!) liked it. It made me take a breather and allowed my body to relax when I couldn't see the need myself.
Kelly Ripa, one of daytime talk shows' wittiest and self-deprecating personalities, recently chatted about her own injury. A fitness maniac, the pint-sized mother of three is admittedly obsessed with working out daily. Having experienced some pain in her hip, she went to see a doctor who discovered she has a stress fracture of the fermoral neck in her right hip. Unfortunately, the fitness guru immediately started to worry about her routine and admitted to being freaked out that her doctor demanded she not work out for three to six weeks. Knowing her love for the gym, she'll find some way to sneak in a sweaty activity or two.

Could you walk away from the gym, even on doctor's orders?

A Reader Needs Your Advice: Pain While Half-Marathon Training

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:56 PDT

OnSugar blogger Running Nina needs some advice. She's training for a half-marathon and is dealing with a knee injury. Can you help her get through it?

It is now less than a month to my first half-marathon. Despite not running for 2 weeks because of being sick I feel ready for it, well, almost. I still have a few more long runs to tackle first!

I ran an eight mile run yesterday and it went pretty well. I had to run on the treadmill because it was too hot outside, so I finished in 77:20. I'm sure it would have taken longer had I run outside. However, on race day I'll feel the energy of the other runners, and it should be around that time when I get to the eight mile mark. It is cooling off this week so hopefully I will be able to run outside on Friday for my nine miler. The only thing that will stop my nine miler is my knee. The last 1/2 mile of my run, it started to hurt. I finished my run and the pain stayed. I can walk, but going up/down stairs and fast walking hurts.

Any suggestions on what to do other than ice it and elevate it? It isn't swollen and doesn't hurt to the touch. Rather, I can feel the soreness/stiffness on the inside.

Are you in the same boat as Running Nina and need advice about your fitness goals from fellow readers? Join one of our community groups or start your own OnSugar blog. Your posts might end up right here on FitSugar!

Side Stitch: What Causes It and How to Prevent It

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:50:26 PDT

You got all geared up for a run, and five minutes into it, you suffer from a twanging pain in your rib cage. Ugh, the dreaded side stitch. They can be so painful you have to stop in your tracks, which can be really frustrating. Experts believe it's caused when the ligament that attaches your liver to your diaphragm becomes overstretched. Breathing in and out heavily combined with the jarring motions of running can cause this pain. And here's a cool fact - those who exhale when their right foot hits the ground are more prone to side stitches. That's because when the right foot hits the ground, it pulls the liver down and the exhale is simultaneously forcing the diaphragm up. The ligament gets overstretched, and you're left with that sharp, nagging pain.

To learn how to prevent this annoying pang,

Before hitting the treadmill or trail, be sure to warm up your tight muscles with some brisk walking or slow jogging. Once you begin your run, try concentrating on exhaling as your left foot hits the ground. If that doesn't feel natural to you, focus on taking deep, even breaths as you run. When you exhale fully, the diaphragm can lower completely, which allows the ligament to relax. Also avoid eating one to two hours before a run, but make sure you've had water (about 12 ounces 30 minutes before your workout) since dehydration can lead to muscle cramps.

If you're suffering from a side stitch in the middle of a run, slow down your pace and your breath. If that doesn't help, stop completely and press your hand into the right side of your body and push up. This will lift your liver slightly and bring it closer to your diaphragm, so it's not overstretched. Once the pain goes away, feel free to jump back on the running wagon.

Do You Exercise Even When You're Sore?

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:30:57 PDT

I found a new running buddy in my neighborhood, and let's just say that she's much more hard-core than I. I led her through a leisurely 35-minute run, and the next day, it was her turn to lead. She had us running up every hill in the woodsy trails near our homes. By the end, we had run for over an hour. The next morning I woke up to extremely sore legs and a phone call asking if I was up for going again. I had to pass, saying I was way too sore to even bend over and tie my sneaks.

Exercising when I'm a little sore often relieves my tightness, but when I'm so sore even walking hurts, I skip the workout and rest. What about you?

Hills, Inclines, and Shin Splints - Oh My!

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:30:51 PDT

If you run or hike, chances are high that you're familiar with shin splints. These micro tears in the lower leg muscle that attaches to the tibia (shin bone) most often occur from overuse - when you push yourself too hard, too soon. A calf muscle that's stronger than the muscles on the front of your shin makes you prone to this injury too.

We recently wrote that Jennifer Aniston pumps up the incline to maximize her treadmill time. The post prompted a reader to ask: "At what point or incline does this cause shin splints?"

Learn the answer when you

Running with no incline on a treadmill or running or walking down steep declines can create shin splints due to extra stress placed on the shin bone. Running uphill is easier on your shins because you naturally push off the ground hard, so you end up using your hips more than your shins. If you're prone to shin splints and running outside, avoid routes that have steep downhill slopes and look for ones that are slightly uphill. If that's impossible to find, stick to the treadmill and pump up the incline.

Also be mindful of where your foot strikes the surface first. If you're a heel striker, repeatedly keeping your foot in the flexed position can strain your shin. On the other hand, if you're a toe striker, constantly engaging your calf muscles can also lead to shin splints. Concentrate instead on striking midfoot. Hopefully these tips can help prevent the dreaded shin splints this season.

Know Your Injury: Shin Splints vs. Lower Leg Stress Fracture

FitSugar — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:00:51 PDT

I've officially said goodbye to my treadmill for the season and have been loving bringing my runs outside. My shins, on the other hand, have not been too psyched. I've been experiencing this shooting pain in my right shin when I run on the roads in my neighborhood. I assumed it was shin splints, since I've experienced them before in the Spring, but since I was only feeling it on one leg, a marathoner friend of mine suggested I see a doctor to rule out a stress fracture.

I freaked out a little, worried that I'd have to sideline my runs for a while, so I saw my doctor and learned the difference between the two running injuries. To find out if the pain you're experiencing is shin splints or a more severe injury, a stress fracture,

Both shin splints and stress fractures are considered overuse injuries. Shin splints occur when you get small tears in the area where the lower leg muscle attaches to the tibia, aka the shin bone. You'll experience a shooting, aching pain in the front of your lower leg(s) when running, but the pain goes away when you lower your intensity, stop running, or after your run is over. When you suffer shin splints, you don't feel the pain with other activities like walking, stretching, or climbing stairs.

Stress fractures, on the other hand, are caused by actual cracks or breaks in either of the bones in the lower leg, the tibia or fibula. If you suffer from this injury, you'll experience pain that's usually in the lower third part of the shin, tenderness or swelling in the specific injured area, and pain when you press on your shin. The pain doesn't subside when you stop running, and regular activities like climbing stairs or jumping will cause pain, too.

If your pain injury sounds more like shin splints, take a gradual approach whenever making changes to your routine. When switching to different running surfaces, run shorter distances. When increasing your pace, try adding in sprint intervals to your regular routine rather than doing the whole run at a faster pace. And when increasing mileage, follow the 10 percent rule. When you do strength and flexibility training, pay special attention to your shins by doing this toe lift move and this gentle stretch.

With a more severe stress fracture injury, see your doctor. They'll probably x-ray the area to check your bones. If they don't see a fracture, it doesn't mean there isn't one. The doc will x-ray you again later, and if they see that your bone is healing, they'll know you did indeed suffer a stress fracture. Unfortunately, they'll recommend you stop running and rest the area for six to eight weeks. You can do lower impact exercise like walking, swimming, deep water running, and weight training. If you don't rest your shins enough, the area may never heal properly. Once the pain begins to subside, you can start to work out. Just be sure to gradually build up time, distance, and intensity.

Luckily for me, I just have shin splints, but have you ever suffered from stress fracture? How about shin splints? Tell me below.

Botox May Improve Your Tennis Game

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:00:39 PDT

Having tennis elbow is no walk in the park; in fact, it hurts like hell. But a surprising treatment is having positive results on relieving the pain: Botox. That's right, Botox. Widely seen as a cosmetic treatment, the wrinkle-smoothing elixir may help individuals who suffer from tennis elbow. It's not without its flaws though - participants who underwent treatment suffered from multiple side effects, according to the report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

If you're unfamiliar with the pain associated with tennis elbow, it's no joke. The area of the upper arm around the elbow is inflamed, and tendon tears aren't uncommon either. Simple tasks like picking something up can be excruciating for individuals suffering from tennis elbow. Doctors in Iran performed the study on 48 participants who had tennis elbow, and found that those injected with Botox had a "significant" reduction in pain. Unfortunately along with the reduction in pain came a reduction in strength. Some participants even lost the ability to move their third and fourth fingers, albeit temporarily (up to four months). While doctors are not saying Botox is OK to treat the condittion yet, these initial findings do show some promise.

Pay Attention to That Dumbbell!

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:30:34 PDT

Today's lesson: be careful when strength training. Research findings show that injuries related to weight training have increased by almost 50 percent between 1990 and 2007. During this period, US emergency rooms treated almost 100,000 weight-training injuries - about 6,000 per year. The good news for women is that men suffered the brunt of the injuries, making up 82 percent of the group. Individuals between the ages of 13 and 24 came in second, accounting for almost half of those injured.

The report, which was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, says that almost all of the injuries were caused by people using free weights, and most often because the weights were dropped on someone. Luckily, the majority of the injuries weren't too serious - sprains and strains - but a sprain is serious enough to set your fitness regimen back a few weeks.

To avoid injury, consult a trainer on proper technique when using free weights. Also make sure you are lifting the right amount of weight when working out. If it isn't possible to consult a trainer, limit your chances of injury by using weight machines, resistance bands, or doing strengthening moves that require no equipment. If you do hurt yourself, make sure to take care of your sports injury in the best way possible.