Little Miss WRX

Stefan, I have rested completely for three weeks now, had physio treatment twice a week for a few weeks and got told last week that I didn't need any more physio and that my recovery was more or less ready to progress onto light jogging.

When they assess my gait they make me run up and down in front of them as weell as at walking pace. When walking I tend to compensate less than when running. Due to my old knee injury, I complicate things further by running in an odd fashion which has arisen due to the long recovery from ligament tears.

ozzy

3 weeks and you've still got pain How much running have you done in that 3 weeks?

I was in agony on Monday night after a 5-mile run (I'd ran almost everyday for weeks before) and I haven't ran since. I've just used my bike to keep my fitness up and felt no pain on that.

I feel twinges in my shin when I push off on my toes when walking (feel it more when I walk up stairs), but that's about it and I've not had any physio treatment. All I've done is ice'd the tender part each night for 10mins (or until it goes numb) and simply not ran.

After a run, I've always stretched my calves for 10mins, then immediatelty hosed them down with cold water from the outside tap or ran a v.cold bath and sat with my shins in it.

Have you ice'd your shins after a run/jog?

Stefan

Little Miss WRX

I try as much as I can to cool my legs off after a run.

The most stress they have had over the last three weeks is walking around a shopping centre. Even that has been a struggle to do, I am unable to tolerate shopping for more than half an hour (I hate shopping anyway ).

Walking up and down slopes has been intolerable and negotiating steps has been near impossible without "carrying" myself up using my arms.

The pain is definitely a shin splint pain, but the ankle tenderness is puzzling. It may be from when I went over on it a while ago, but I should really have recovered from that trauma by now IMHO.

I personally think that I should have recovered by now and am concerned particularly with my left leg as it initially wasn't the most painful when the initial injury cropped up.
I have been stretching my calves using all of the exercises the physio has given me especially standing on a wooden triangle block which is angled at 35 degrees against the wall.
My calves are a lot better than before and consequently the deep sports massage I receive has been within reasonable pain barriers, though I swear my physio gets a kick out of hurting me.

ozzy

Don't worry, they're all like that

Tight calf muscles can be a contributing factor as they cause the other muscles to over-compensate. I've certainly noticed my legs feeling really tight before and after a run around the bottom of my calves (feels like the achilles).

Is it tender all over the bone or just in a very specific point? It maybe worth getting an x-ray (or bone scan) for a stress fracture. Complete rest and regular icing should see the pain settle in a week and be almost free in 2-3. If you're still in pain after 3 weeks of rest, I'd be a bit concerned myself.

Have you looked at any of these sites? The last one has some good exercises for strenghtening the muscles in the lower leg.

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cy...hinsplints.htm
http://www.davidholt.bigstep.com/generic.html?pid=9
http://www.time-to-run.com/injuries/...hinsplints.htm
http://www.atkinsfriends.com/exercise/shins.shtml

Stefan

Little Miss WRX

I have actually subscribed to the Sports Injury Clinic, it's very good. I now follow their taping method for my shins.
The problem I find it that the top of my calves feel twingy and spasmotic after runs and also after stretching. Almost as if they are going to cramp. I have increased my fluid intake as a result and also slightly increased my salt intake, but due to the history of heart problems in my family I don't want to put myself at risk.

The sheer amount I actually spend stretching my calves leads me to think that they aren't the issue.
The pain is not specific to an area, it is literally all up and down the bone, mainly on the inside, but there is tenderness on the outside too. The main area of pain if I have to pick it out, is in the lower bit, that is where the bone feels bruised.

I'll have a looksie at those sites.

I didn't get to my physio today, my shin does feel better, I have done absolutely nothing today, just rested. I might run a line tomorrow on an easy game just to test the water. (Might as well make the most of games being on - most games are called off due to rain over here!!! )

Little Miss WRX

Just had a look at those sites and they are excellent, thanks.

Little Miss WRX

Gah, not a happy bunny. I got told today that unless I stain my new trainers BLACK then I cannot use them to referee.
I retorted back saying that I was pretty happy to charge the RA with my physio fees.
If I go back to what I was using for refereeing before, then I will only start to have trouble again.

I don't really want to ruin a nice pair of trainers, but if I have to have them black then I guess I will have to.