Hi, i recently got back into sprinting after a 4yrs pursuing bodybuilding goals. I spent most of the spring bringing my weight down from 250 to 215lbs (@ 6’2)
Ive been training in a sprint program for 3 weeks now and shin splints have flarred up big time!
Consisting of sprints 2 x per week (30 x 3 x 3) and tempo 1000m per session 4-5 x per week.
I dont know what to do, ive been doing the usual self help procedures, i.e. cold, heat treatment, massage. running on grass. Im thinking maybe i have jumped too much, too soon?
What can i do, becuase i really couldnt bare to start from scratch again
If you have poor dorsi-flexion, you’ll be putting extra stress on your shins. You’ll probably be overstriding as a result of poor-toe up, which will stress your shins more and could create hamstring problems down the track.
Also, over-pronation could be putting extra pressure on your shins (depending on where your shin-splints are: it is a very general term), have a podiatrist look at your feet. Train in flats for a while, and buy some shoes with extra stability.
To help with the inflammation, get a polystyrene (foam) cup, run it under water, and put it in the freezer. After it has freezed up, take it out and tear a 1cm strip from around the top, and massage your shins with it until it has melted. Then get another strip. Keep going until you have used the whole cup. Worked wonders for me.
Went out for some tempo this morning and my dorsi-flexion was terrible. I spent the rest of the session working on dorsi-flexion.
The speed at which i moved was much slower and felt kind of akward cocking up my big toe, but the pain was much reduced and i only really felt pain after the session had finished.
Ive attached a pic of where the pain is coming from and it is the posterior area.
I immediately did the icing method after the session and thats helping.
Where would you place the electrodes to help with recovery and what sort of rest/contraction time would you use? Whats dorsiflexion and how can you tell if its poor?
You are coming back after such a long break and you are doing 6-7 sessions/week? This is too much IMO…
Most probably! I would stop running at the moment (definitely no spikes) and use as much as possible non-weight bearing activities, preferably running in the pool, cycling perhaps?
I would also stick with ice -the above advice is great- and aspirin; the first thing in your mind at the moment should be to reduce/eliminate the symptoms. Later on you can start looking what caused it -don’t stop at the symptoms, it’ll come back…
There is no way I would look at improving dorsi-flexion on a tempo session and even more so at your current state; it might partly be the problem, but it’s not the right way and time for this…
You’ll have to, if you don’t act now!
Hope this helps!
