<p>I'm a freshman and I started running cross country this year for the first time ever... However for almost the entire season I have had shin problems and just today I went to the doctor about it and he told me it was shin splints and basically the way my legs were shaped I may have problems with pain for as long as I run. Now, because of what the doctor said my mom wants me to quit running cross country, not just for this season so I can heal, which is what she was already pressuring me to do, but forever... I want to take care of my body, but I love running so much, and I feel obligated to keep going, by myself and team, as I'm already one of the top varsity runners. Obviously, I'm really conflicted on what I should do, any runners or people good advice that can help? Thanks. </p>
<p>Have you tried exercises that are designed to prevent shin splints, or anything like that? Toe raises can help, as well as standing with your heel on the edge of a stair and lowering your toes as far as you can and then raising them as far as you can. I also know some people who swear by KT tape for their shin splint issues. If you haven’t tried those things yet, then I think quitting entirely would be really premature, but if you’ve been trying all of those things with no effect, then you might want to at least take off some time for your shins to get back to pain free before starting back up</p>
<p>I have, as well as icing regularly… Nothing seems to help them 
. Thank you though @jazzcatastrophe </p>
<p>Buy compression sleeves, make sure your training shoes still have life in them, stretch your calves and Achilles A LOT, ice for 15 minutes every day, elevate your legs on a wall for 5 minutes per day, and do a lot of duck walks.</p>
<p>Go to a high quality sneaker store where they can measure the arc of your show and recommend shoes specifically tailored for your arc. Not a foot locker or anything, a REAL running apparel shop if it all possible. There was a guy on my XC team who ran varsity (and fast!) his entire HS career with bad shins/ankles, when he got to college they had him switch up his shoe. He always had a high quality pair but never one that fit his arch/natural foot motion/running mumbo jumbo. This helped him tremendously.</p>
<p>Hey! This is coming from a (seemingly) chronically injured runner. Like you, I have freaky legs that always seem to be hurting.
I second getting your feet fitted by a good running store. This will really help so much, especially if you don’t have great sneakers to begin with. When I have shin splints, I ice with a bag of frozen peas. It gives you ice therapy and massage at the same time! Search shin splint exercises and try to do them consistently. Maybe lower your mileage a little bit or run on softer surfaces like grass, trails, or a track if you can.
XC and track are great sports, and unless you’re in excruciating pain, keep on going! Trust me, it’ll be worth it! Good luck!!</p>
<p>No don’t quit cross country. My coach would be so disappointed and I’m sure yours would too, as well as your team. Don’t let them down, tell your mom how important running is to you and how it alleviates your mental stress and will help you go to a better college.</p>
<p>Take time off and heal, then start investigating ways to not get shin splints: new, better fitting shoes, orthotics, strengthening exercises, etc. Could your mileage build up have been too abrupt? That is often a contributing factor. You may have to start training ahead of the set of the team and let yourself build up more gradually. Do you run on concrete? Hard surfaces make it worse. You could do your early training on dirt or even the treadmill. </p>
<p>Think about cross training in the meantime and for next year. Our xc tam was plagued by injuries until they started doing pool running once a week in place of a work out. </p>
<p>I played Football and Soccer on the varsity level for my first three years of high school. The first two in secret. My mom had never wanted me to play sports since childhood, but I felt I was good, and I at least wanted to give it a try. During spring football (April of my Junior year). I got a concussion. My mom wanted me to quit. It was a daily fight, because I loved football and soccer. You just have have to fight for some thing you love. Even though I will never play pro (not THAT good lol) I fought because it was something I loved too much to quit. If you feel obligated keep pushing to do what you love.</p>
<p>Wow, I am in the exact same boat as you. I am a freshman. I’m so glad I joined the xc team! My teammates are becoming friends and we are all a family. </p>
<p>I am not as good as you, my fastest 5k time was around 23/24 minutes. During the beginning of the season, I was doing great. However, the third week I started to feel pain. I told my coach how I was feeling and took a week off. I felt better and then I had a meet. I did well, but I became very sore. since then, I’ve been a mess. I run so weird and awkward now, everyday I randomly have pain in both legs and knees. After meet I can barley walk. Sadly, I think my coaches think I’m lazy. And my parents won’t take me to the doctors because they think its because of growing pains.</p>
<p>I think it’s my shoes, too. They are a 1/2 size too big. I want to go to a good runners shoe store, but my dad says they are too much money. Ugh.</p>
<p>Take awhile off. Talk to your coach. This is normal to have pain. Do not run through shin splints, especially before a meet. It causes only more pain. </p>
<p>I wish you a lot of luck! This is this a tiny bump in your xc career! </p>
<p>Parent here: I asked my husband, who does marathons and knows lots of runners. He says the standard exercise for shin splints is to lie on your back, put the leg up with your knee at a right angle, and “draw” all the letters of the alphabet (upper and lowercase, he says) by rotating your foot as if it were a hand. He says that shin splints happen because you strengthen the muscles on one side of the shin bone more than the other side if you aren’t perfectly balanced. The “drawing” helps to even things out and relax the side that is stronger. He says lots of people get shin splints and work through them. </p>
<p>Thank you for all that responded. I just got new shoes that have a support for the way my foor is shaped, I ice and strength everyday, and I started cross training yesterday, but my problem isn’t the shin splints, it’s that since my legs are shaped weirdly I’m more prone to shin injury, and my mom took that as being that as Lon as I run that I will ALWAYS be in pain and injured and she wants me the quit xc forever, which I think is stupid. I’m not sure what I should do or how I can convince my mom that running is one of the most important things to me.</p>
<p>Since you’re a freshman, and on Varsity- good for you!- I’d show her how committed you are to the sport and that it could possible be in your future in college. Also show her the friends you’ve made on the team and the fun you have with them when you’re not training or racing. For me, my team is like a built-in friend group!</p>