what should i do for shin splints?
26943
It appears that the question period has expired.  If you have received an answer that meets your needs, please choose one of those as a 'best answer.'  If you haven't received a good answer for your question, you may want to consider the following,\n\n1) Re-post your question.  Newer questions get more activity on Yahoo! Answers than old ones.\n2) If you do re-post your question, consider why it wasn't answered the first time.  Could it be more specific?  Could it be worded better? Were there grammatical or spelling errors? Was it in the best category?\n\nIf it doesn't seem likely that re-posting your question will help you, then here's a listing of my favorite 'answer sites'.  Maybe one of them will help you.\n\nAnswers.com http://www.answers.com/\nBartleby http://www.bartleby.com/\nYahoo Reference http://education.yahoo.com/reference/\nHowStuffWorks http://www.howstuffworks.com/\nWikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page\n\nSince I really haven't answered your question, it is not necessary to give me any points.  Regards.
115584
It is known as RICE - rest, ice, compression, and elevation.\n\nRest is the most important part of healing shin splints.  When you start walking, or running again, start gradally and don't overdo it.  Shin splints are often caused by overuse, and also by worn out running shoes.  Running on really hard surfaces also contributes to shin splints.  Taking an anti-inflammatory med can help with the pain.\n\nTake care.  I hope you get well soon.
259948
I had shin splints while in the Navy. The onboard Doc\ntaped my shins up and iced them just like your already doing. You can strengthen them by walking, swimming, and rest them as much as possible, when at home. You can also reduce the impact by running on a softer surface ie; sand, grass, and by going hiking. Hiking on wooded trails keeps your muscles in shape but gets rid of the hard impact of the pavement. Also before you run take 800mg of ibuprofen they work the best for pain and take out alot of the swelling. You will need a prescription for them, any doc will give them up as they are non-narcotic. I know that they hurt like h*ll so I hope you feel better soon. :-]
989731
Make sure you always rebound and tumble on your toes. I know it may sound silly but try walking on your toes all the time next practice.  It strengthens them really well.  If they continue to hurt see a doctor.  Ice and stretching helps mega well.\n\n(please vote me as best answer)
94435
There are several things you can try.\n\nAnti-inflammatory medications like Ibuprofen or Naproxen may be helpful, taken with food.\n\nFill an empty soda bottle with water and freeze.  With a sock on, roll your heel over the ice bottle for 10-15 minutes, 3-4 times a day.\n\nNEVER go barefoot!  NOt even to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  Always have good supportive shoes on.\n\nStretching your calf muscle may help, particularly if you have a tight achilles to begin with.  Face a wall, and place your plans on it.  With the affected leg further behind you, lean into the wall, keeping your back leg straight and the heel on the floor.  Then stretch with your knee slightly bent.\n\nIf these methods don't work, see your health care provider.  A stronger anti-inflammatory medicine may be prescribed, he or she may evaluate you for orthotics, or supports that go into your shoes.  Physical therapy may be helpful, and some people even have a cortisone injection into the heel.
1154594
stand with your back against the wall, lift your toes up so that you are standing on your heels. hold for 2-3 seconds and repeat. Do this for 3-5 sets of 12 -15 reps. This is not an immediate cure, but will build the muscles in the front part of the shin and will reduce shin splints over time. Also remember to stretch thoroughly
330625
Take a Dixie cup or some other small paper cup and put water in there and freeze it.  After you get back from the run, grab the ice and tear of the paper a little ways to uncover the ice.  Then use it to massage your ankles and shins.  This really helps stop the swelling and inflamation and thus the pain.  Popping a few Advil can also help get rid of the inflamation.  Try running on grass.  It's softer and absorbs more of the force.  Also go out to a running store and have them help you pick out shoes.  I remember walking into one once and they had me take off my shoes and walk in front of them.  They came back with a pair of shoes the fit my high arches perfectly and gave me the right amount of support.  It was pretty amazing and it did help my shin splints get better.  If you find that the right shoes, grass running, and ice massages don't help, you may actually have stress fractures.  Give it a few weeks to see if the pain goes away.  If you still have it, and it hurts to even walk, go into your doctor for an xray.  Before I got really good shoes I had shin splints so bad that I was actually getting really close to tearing through my tendions.  At least that's what my doctor said.  Hope that helps!  Oh, and one last thing, never ignore the pain.  It means that your body needs to recover and heal.  I used to just "walk off" most of my injuries, including pulled muscles in my back.  I ended up doing a lot of damage to my body and I can't run anymore.  I'm only 23 and was a competative sprinter for 6 years.  I cant even take a lesurly jog anymore.  Not to feak you out, but take care of yourself!
185110
I used to suffer from these quite a bit as well.\n\nShin splints are associated with pain in the anterior tibia caused by overuse of the anterior tibilias muscle. They are most common in inexperienced runners or runners who overtrain. The pain is usually worsened by exertion and other factors:\n\n- Running on hard surfaces\n- Insufficient padding in the shoes \n- Over-pronated and/or flat feet can also lead to increased stress on the lower leg muscles during exercise\n- High arched feet can experience shin splint discomfort because this foot type is a poor shock absorber.\n\nThe treatment for shin splints is rest. Running and other strenuous lower limb activities should be avoided until the pain subsides and is no longer elicited by activity. In conjunction with rest, icing and anti-inflammatories may be suggested by a doctor or trainer, though there is some controversy over their effectiveness. A contributing cause of shin splints in some cases is the relative weakness of the muscles on the anterior of the lower leg compared to those in the calf. In this case exercises that preferentially strengthen the anterior muscles may help alleviate or avoid shin splints.\n\nIf you are just starting to run. Take it easy and progress into a walking program first before running. \n\nThe best advice I give you to start is change your running shoes and go to a specialized store (like the running room) which educate you on the most effective shoe for your foot and running style.\n\nA Rundown on Shin Splints\nhttp://preventdisease.com/news/articles/rundown_shin_splints.shtml
68830
I had this a few years ago. I wore splints on my feet to bed. The problem is that when you sleep your foot is not at a 90 degree angle as it rests. When you put your feet on the floor the tendon that runs from your heel to your foot bad stretches back to the 90 degree angle. Normally this isn't a problem but when it is irritated it hurts like someone is jabbing an ice pick into your heel. I wore the splints for about four months.\nI also did stretch the tendon a few times a day by standing on a stair, preferably one at the bottom. Edge your feet back until it's mainly your foot pad and toes left on the stair. Lower your weight moving your heels down a little, lift back up, then see if you can lift your weight up some too. Repeat about ten times a session, not if/until it hurts. If it hurts only do one occassionally and build up the stretch. This will increase the flexibility of the tendon. \nIf you need to be on your feet for a long time (like I did for my honeymoon) you can go to a Podiatrist and have steroid shots in each foot. This will help for about a month or maybe more. You could also do that now and still work on stretching and wearing the splints. I didn't wear my pumps during the ordeal but I'm back in them now and have been for quite a while.\nGood luck to you!
481671
Because most Nikes are crap. Only people with perfect mechanics can get away without getting injured. Take it from me, the main cause of shin splints is overpronation. You probably need a mid-stability shoe that prevents your foot from torquing in. Most people who run fall into this category. Try your local running store to get a proper fit. Or, go buy the Brooks Adrenaline.
393357
Try this site:\n\nhttp://www.medicinenet.com/shin_splints/article.htm
322481
One of the best ways to PREVENT shin splints is to train consistently. When you suddenly increase your mileage you're more likely to get them. There isn't too much you can do once you actually have them, though. Rest and icing after you run, and making sure you are properly warmed up are the best treatments.
1160352
There's a pressure point in Chinese reflexology that helps.  To locate it, start with your inside ankle.  Feel just below it and towards your calf (away from the shin).  There's a little indent in your foot there.  If you feel the indent and then feel up your calf muscle on the inside, you will notice a slight groove along the bottom edge of your calf muscle.  This is the point to massage.  \n\nRub up and down from the side of your ankle until halfway up your calf.  Do it on both legs.  This can not only help relieve cramps, but also minimize their occurence.  I have used this point when I've been doubled over in agony.  Rubbing these areas relieved the pain almost immediately and helped the cramps to pass in a few minutes.
932796
A new pair of shoes will NOT solve the problem.  Shin splints are actually where the muscle connects tothe bone on the front side of the leg.  There are exercises to help or you can continue to run and they will eventually go away.  Here are the exercises I have found work.\n\nWalking on your tip toes.  You can do this in spurts or just do heel raises.\n\nAlso, this is one that was given to me by a doctor. - Take a weight and line tie the weight to the line and tie the other end to the tip of your shoe, allow the weight to dangle and do toe raises with the weight attached. \n\nThere is no quick fix for shin splints.  It will take time but they will eventually go away.\n\nHope this helps.
601810
I like Asics shoes they make them specially cushioned for overpronated (flat foot) and underpronated feet (high arch) depending on the type you buy, and this cushioning helps prevent the shin splints you get as a result of the improper posture of your foot.
606033
Sounds like shin splints.  You probably don't need to go to the doctor.  You should stay off your feet awhile, and use a cortisone cream on them.  Take an anti-inflammatory med, unless you have any medical condition which would make that unwise.  If they don't feel better with 3-4 days of relative ease, go to the doctor.  \nIf you're going to play softball and tennis regularly, make sure you're wearing good shoes that are designed for those specific uses, and stretch beforehand.
140401
Shin splints is a condition where there is pain in the anterior tibia caused by overuse of the anterior tibilias muscle. They are most common in inexperienced runners or runners who overtrain. The pain is usually worsened by exertion and other factors:\n\n- Running on hard surfaces\n- Insufficient padding in the shoes \n- Over-pronated and/or flat feet can also lead to increased stress on the lower leg muscles during exercise\n- High arched feet can experience shin splint discomfort because this foot type is a poor shock absorber.\n\nThe treatment for shin splints is rest. Running and other strenuous lower limb activities should be avoided until the pain subsides and is no longer elicited by activity. In conjunction with rest, icing and anti-inflammatories may be suggested by a doctor or trainer, though there is some controversy over their effectiveness. A contributing cause of shin splints in some cases is the relative weakness of the muscles on the anterior of the lower leg compared to those in the calf. In this case exercises that preferentially strengthen the anterior muscles may help alleviate or avoid shin splints.\n\nIf you are just starting to run. Take it easy and progress into a walking program first before running. Here are some links for progression:\n\n12-week walking schedule\nhttp://www.preventdisease.com/fitness/walking_schedule.html\n\nBeginning a Jogging Program\nhttp://preventdisease.com/fitness/fitness_jogging.html\n\nA Rundown on Shin Splints\nhttp://preventdisease.com/news/articles/rundown_shin_splints.shtml