Wasn’t sure which part of the forum to put this in, I guess sprint training is the right place as it’s a common result of it 
What do you guys do that has worked against periostitis (shin splints)? I get periostitis every loading period when I’m doing a high volume of sets/reps on the track. Aside from the ice, what else is there to help? Does anyone have experience with taping methods/do they work? Do shoe inserts make a difference? I’m willing to try anything now lol 
People always talk about training on soft surfaces but I really don’t think that people realize the importance of doing as much work as possible on the grass. It will make an exponential difference on the occurance of shin splints.
do your tempo work on the grass
A friend of mine gets really bad shin splints, ok he may be a triathlete, but the way he’s combated it is to get orthotic insoles. Also one of the guys i train with gets them too, but i think it’s cos he’s too tight to buy a new pair of trainers!!:devil:
Agreed…
Check your shoes. Also try strengthening drills in the future to head off the problem before it starts…
ex:
1.)scrunching a towel with your toes while the towel is on the ground
2.) While seated try writing the alphabet with your toes.
3.)Also some light massage work with your fingers in the affected area can also help
[i]Originally posted by 2.) While seated try writing the alphabet with your toes.
Nice, I like that one.
Be careful with taping if you dont know what kind of shin-splints you have.
If it is compartment-syndrome any kind of compression will probably make it worse.
Taping is no substitute for stretching.
I used to struggle with shins splints all the time. I solved it by cutting back my volume of all runs, dropping plyometrics (especially bounding), running only on soft surfaces (grass) and doing exercises to strengthen the muscle on the front of my shin (not sure what that muscle is called). I have a DARD which works great for this.
After I was asymptomatic, I slowly introduced running on the track and then increased the volume and then added in plyos. Now, if I ever feel the slightest bit of pain, I immediately do a few sets with the DARD in the evening and keep this up for a few days. Shin splints haven’t interferred with my training since.
I have had shin periostitis for years. It is caused by the pull of tendon attachments; in my case from the great toe causing medial shin soreness. I was once advised to use strengthening exercises for the muscle of the foot/shin, which I thought strange since it was the strength behind these muscles that was causing the problem. Also, I thought surely the track would have strengthened these muscles greatly anyway. After a several week period I stopped the exercises with no difference in soreness. I can only think any benefit that comes from such exercises would be linked to scar tissue alignment and increased circulation, but then wouldn’t walking be good enough which I had obviously done anyway? An extra 1 or 2 days rest has usually been enough for sufficient alleviation. The only other treatments that have possibly been positive, although difficult to quantify, are ice immediatly, heat/contrasting after 24-48, and MSM. In time my periostitis has decreased in severity, supposedly due to strengthened tissue at tendon/periostium junction and surrounding area.
Humans existed before nikes…