Runners: Advice on shin splints

1) lose a little weight
2) stretch calves (slant board is great).
3) do calf raises and tibialis raises
4) increase mileage gradually
5) treadmill some as it's softer
6) dirt some as it's softer
7) evaluate form
8) get fitted at specialty store for shoes.
9) ice
10) rest a little. Run a little less for a bit. Substitute high intensity spinning and pool work.

Any questions ask me.
I've got experience as a scholarship track/cc athlete.

All of what he said and be careful. You can end up with stress fractures if you aren’t careful.

I dealt with them ~10 years ago when I started trying to run long distances. Tried to run through it. That didn't work.

Eventually learned to stop running as soon as I felt pain and hit the elliptical for a few days(which sucks). Gradually milked up the distance until it hurt again. Wash rinse repeat. Eventually the pain went away and my only limit was my endurance.

Just my amateur experience that worked for me.

Bruh.

Quit watching chariots of fire.

You are a human giant and hips, knees, ankles, feet, were not meant to take this abuse.

Try zero impact excercise (swimming, street or stationary cycling, and rowing).

Frick man.

I switched to walking for a while and that seemed to help. Now I just mix running and walking during the week and it is much better.

Run on a treadmill for a few weeks then go 3 days on the treadmill and 2 days outside alternating days for a while. Switch to 3 days outside and 2 days treadmill then just one day treadmill. It needs to be a gradual shift though. I'd do it one way for at least a month before switching.

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I’ve been really getting into running over the last 3-4 months; however, I can’t seem to shake my tendency to get shin splints. I’m 6’3” and ~230lbs. I wear good Brooks running shoes but have also tried On Clouds, Hoka’s, and Xero. I can run on my treadmill or outside and still seem to get them if I run more than 2x/week. Any advice from experienced runners?

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Not knowing anything else about you, I would say the shin splints are due to weak leg muscles, and I would prescribe squats and deadlifts.

I was 6’ 170lb when I did a couch to 5k program, and I had bad shin splints, so I don’t think they are always due to weight issues.

A lot of good info in here already, one thing I’ll add that’s been helping me a bit is muscle scraping (Graston technique). Use a butter knife and scrape your shins with the dull side. It helps break up the fascia and encourage blood flow to the area. Give it a Google.

Also, try doing toe sits as part of your normal stretching. This will help stretch the muscles and tendons in your feet.

quote:

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run specific workout....knees over toes

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100%
Knees over toes has changed the game. I know it's an overused phrase but it's true.

Squats and Deadlifts don't address a muscle imbalance of calf vs tib. I would bet OP has pretty solid calf muscles, due to their size, and very underdeveloped tibialis muscles.

Tibialis raises will go a long way with preventing shin splints.