<p>I recently developed shin splints and the pain is starting to bother me everytime I run. This scares me alot because it is so close to basic. Does anyone have advice on what to do with this problem. Ways to fix it…anything. What happens if you get shin splints during basic?</p>
<p>Also, would replacing running with swimming be a good move to do if i have shin splints currently or do you not get as good of a cardio workout swimming as you do with running?</p>
<p>any help is appreciated</p>
<p>Thanks
wmfalcon12</p>
<p>The first thing to try would be a good set of insoles. I know that a few people on these forums have had experience with shin splints, so I'll let them comment further.</p>
<p>Switching to swimming is a good move too. It'll take the pounding off your legs and can absolutely be as good as running.</p>
<p>i had shin splints during baseball season in 9th grade. best thing i did was just not run. swimming seems to be a good alternative, and your shins are gonna hurt for a while.. but they were gone w/in a month so no worries</p>
<p>I go into a deep squat and rock back and forth, side to side, and in circles. I'm not sure if this strengthens or stretches your shins, but I started doing it a long time ago so I wouldn't develop shin splints (I can't remember where I read it). I do it before every run and I've never really had a problem with shin splints, except for the first time I ran in my boots.</p>
<p>you can tape them.</p>
<p>I ran track and cross country in high school. The best advice I received was to ice them for 20 minutes before and after you run and to run on the grass as it will lessen the beating your shins are taking. Good luck.</p>
<p>Since you are so close to basic, stop running on them. I actually developed shin splints in Basic, halfway through. I got through fine because the running load isn't so bad, but it wasn't pleasant.</p>
<p>Go swim. I actually swim now. After swiming 3x a week for 5 weeks, I've dropped my AFT time and when I ran here at home yesterday I had taken 2.5 minutes off my 3 mile time (from before i entered the academy). If you swim right and swim hard, it will help you. While running is best, at least swimming will keep your lung capacity up.</p>
<p>Swimming is a pretty decent workout, if you swim hard.</p>
<p>I agree with dlodge. I would make a point to ice them often, before and after workouts (I'm an irish dancer and we're pretty aquainted with shin-splints).</p>
<p>But I would recommend just giving your legs a rest for at least 2 weeks and they'll slowly get better. They won't get better if you keep stressing them. If you decide to take a rest, try and walk on your heels for a bit every other day. It strengthens those small muscles on the front of the lower leg and helps prevent chin splints later on.</p>
<p>Oh and if it really bothers you I would check with a doctor. Shins can be a place for stress fractures.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>I swim instead of run for the same reason. I had to get a waiver to get in here for orthotics to correct my crooked feet that cause shin splints and strained calves. If you don't get better with some rest, look into orthotic treatment, and quickly. It won't even hurt just to get examined by an orthopedist now to see if you have defects in your feet or leg bones like I do.</p>
<p>As for swimming, as long as you can be disciplined enough to swim consistently, even if it's slow (i.e. don't stop after every lap and catch your breath), you'll get just as good of a cardio workout, and (in my opinion) a better workout overall because your upper body, back, and abs will get a good workout as well. Swimming is harder than you'd think if you do it right. Vary your strokes (do mostly freestyle, but with some backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, etc) and your workout. I alternate between a mile in freestyle or doing 100 meter laps in different strokes. You can also hop out of the pool and do pushups, dips, situps, etc. between laps.</p>
<p>Definitely stop running. Rub an ice cube up and down on the sore shin.
Swim, as long as it does not hurt. You should feel alot better in 2 weeks if you don't run until then. My husband had shin splints a month before a marathon and running on shin splints only makes it worse. Also, make sure you haven't switched shoe styles/brands, that could also aggravate it.</p>
<p>another good alternative is the bike. i developed shin splints and began swimming but i just didnt like it. so i started doing workouts on a stationary bike. you can get workout videos that are very hard and definitely got me more of a cardio workout than running ever did.</p>
<p>As one who, when dinosaurs roamed the Terazzo, competed in both track and cross country (at a NCAA Div. 1 school, but not the USAFA) I can offer some advice. I have been where you are many times (and its not fun).</p>
<p>The people who have told you to rest for a couple of weeks and use ice on the painful area are correct. You also might want to use some ibuprophen as well. I will not tell you how much to use but you might want to look up the prescription (not over the counter) dosage for Motrin. As long as your stomach does not get upset you will be O.K. The main thing is to wait until all of the pain is completely gone and start back running gradually. It is easy to get into a cycle of almost healing and re-injuring if you try to rush it.</p>
<p>Here are few other things to consider. If your running shoes are worn it is time to get a new pair. You might want to continue the ibuprophen for a week or two after you start back running. The swimming is a good idea also - it will slow down the detraining and make you feel better (just dont use a stroke that causes pain to your shins (the whip kick of the breast stroke used to hurt mine). Biking is good, too. Guy4Christ has a good suggesting about orthotics - a good podiatrist can help you with that (there also several non-custom ones that may work and are available at most drug stores - I do not have any athletic experience with these).</p>
<p>Finally, with BCT - chances are pretty good that if you develop shin splints you may choose to "suck it up" and finish out BCT with them. You will have to work with the Medical folks there and judge how "injured" you are at that point. I had this happen near the end of each cross-country season I ran in college and let them heal over Christmas break (before indoor track started). It is very aggravating to run with them for a long time, but for me it got to the point where they did not get any worse - just not any better either. I would imagine the medical support there will help you to manage yourself and not let you get into a situation that would be permanently an issue for you.</p>
<p>Anyhow, I probably have rambled on too much here, good luck.</p>
<p>wmfalcon12</p>
<p>How are the legs doing?</p>
<p>They are doing alot better. I went and talked to my doctor and he gave me some anti inflammatories and told me to stay off of them until next week and try do some light running on them but stick to swimming and biking for now and just give them a rest. Wrapping them with ice seems to relieve the pain alot. But they feel ALOT better. Thanks everyone for the great advice and help.</p>
<p>Very good...I'll probably ask again in a few days. Sounds like you are being smart about it. Remember to not hurry things too much. If you can still feel pain when you palpate the area it is too soon to try a run.</p>
<p>WMF12</p>
<p>Just thought I would follow up to see how you are doing. All healed up?</p>
<p>Im doing better...they seemed to be fully healed about a week and a half ago and ive been running and Ive been getting some slight discomfort which scares me into stop running. Ive got an appointment with a sports medicine doctor on tuesday so hopefully he'll give me some corrective insoles or something. Speaking of which, is that considered something I need to report that to DoDMERB?</p>
<p>Thanks for everyones thoughts and help</p>
<p>i doubt shin splints are dodmerb-worthy. unless they hurt like hell and you cant walk.</p>