When I started running, I had shin splints so badly that I wanted to give up. It hurt to walk, it hurt if I touched them, it hurt to run, it HURT! I was at my wits end. Then a buddy of mine made 3 suggestions that changed my running life forever.
- Get fitted and choose the correct running shoes and inserts.
- Make sure that your hydration is good and use a magnesium supplement.
- Try compression socks.
That was it. I did these three things and my shin splints went away, never to return. Why did this work? Well, shin splints are caused from one of two things, either the muscles in the lower legs being strained and pulled away from the bone, or stress fractures. If you have stress fractures, you need to see a doctor and rest so that they heal, but if it is the muscle, the above will normally help a great deal.
The correct shoes and inserts will greatly reduce stress on the lower leg muscles, and the compression socks will provide support. Magnesium is required for normal bone structure in the body which helps again with the strain on the muscles being pulled from the bone. As runners, we need more magnesium then the average bear!
So, if you are having pain due to shin splints, rest and apply ice to get the inflammation and pain down to a manageable level. Do the three things listed above, and then slowly get back in to your running and increase your weekly mileage slowly. If the pain persists, stop running and go to your doctor immediately.
I would love to know if this helped you, so please leave comments below!
Disclaimer time: I am not a physician, BUT I am somebody who lost 130 pounds, and has run over 900 pain free miles in 2017, so what do you have to lose?
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Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!
Do you recommend a good magnesium supplement or spray?
Tara, this is a great question. I take pills that are 375 mg’s and the company is a company called LongLife BUT, we were living in Italy the last 6.5 years and I have not found that brand here in the USA. It is the picture on the post. So, I will be looking for a new supplement myself here in the USA. I will let you know what I find, and if you find something good, please let me know. But increasing my magnesium definitely helped with my cramping!