Q: "I try to jog or run during each Baby Boot Camp class, but I find that I have to stop because of pain in my shins. The next day my shins feel bruised. What is that? I want to increase my cardio fitness, but I feel like I can't because of shin pain. Help!" -Ingrid B.
A: It sounds like you have shin splints. Rest and ice is sometimes the best treatment. Pinpointing the cause will help prevent this condition in the future. There are a number of things that cause shin splints, such as:
-Sudden increases in mileage
-Walking uphill
-Overtraining
-Walking faster than normal
-Jumping
-Running stairs
-Too much distance
I’ve found most often this condition is caused by old shoes or shoes not designed to meet the needs of your foot (flat feet can be prone to shin splints) or the way your foot moves, also known as pronation. New moms often encounter this condition when they resume working out. After nine months of carrying around extra weight, your athletic shoes are bound to be worn out. Plus, your foot has likely lengthened by at least a half inch due to the release of joint-relaxing hormones during pregnancy. Visit your local running shoe specialty store with the athletic shoes you normally wear to class. Have one the sales reps watch you walk and examine the wear on your shoes. It may be as easy as switching to motion control shoes or shoes with a thicker, more cushioned sole.
Adequately stretching your calf muscles before running should also help. Do this by standing with your rear foot approximately two to three feet away from the wall. Your rear leg should be straight, the front leg bent and your hands touching the wall. Your feet should point ahead with heels on the ground. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times on each leg. Now do the same thing with your rear leg (that was straight) slightly bent at the knee. You should feel this stretch lower down.
A new pair of shoes, stretching and strengthening should help. If not, consult your doctor.
Resources:
You can view photos of exercises to prevent shin splints at the following web sites. Enter "shin splints" in the search window.
www.bodyresults.com
www.nismat.org
www.nlm.nih.gov