Just a quick question but how old are your trainers? am asking as 2 yr old trainers would be "dead" for running and your liable to damage things by using them.
Other questions would be your weight- but I'd imagine you'd get joint pain rather then shin pain if you were very overweight.
Take it easier and build up, normally your energy levels die out/chest feels to tight before you can do any real damage when your just starting out but I'd imagine if your used to the last time you ran being x miles and you try to do that again, maybe you have some sort of tendonitis or simialr- have you ever had shinsplints before? it can make it more likely for the condition to return when your body is under stress. Is there any swelling or is it bruised? RICER can help too (Rest Ice Compression, Elevation and Rehabilitiation- watch how you get back into it.)
In terms of stretches, there are 4 main stretches I do and then additional stretches to help as and when. Thats 4 but on each side (so 8?)
1. Stand one leg on the edge of a step, heel over the edge, the other leg flat on the step to give you stability. Lower the heel as far as you can without getting sharp pain behind your knee. Hold for 40 seconds plus.
2. With the same position as above, bend the knee on the leg with the heel pointing over the edge of the step. Make very sure your knee is aligned with your toes when its bent, you should feel a stretch at the lower calf. This is a stretch which can help with shinspints and tendionitis of the calf/tibi. Hold for 40 seconds plus.
3. Quad stretch- you must have seen this done many times- stand on one leg straight. One knee bent and the heel touching your bottom. Make sure the knees are always in line (so many people do this with one leg pointing sideways and it just doesn't do the stretch properly at all!). Use a wall or similar to steady yourself and hold for 40 seconds plus.
4. Sit on the floor, legs out straight. Then bend one knee, foot flat on the floor and keep the other leg straight as it was. Then cross this bent knee leg so the foot is on the other side of the knee on the first leg and twist your body. You should feel a stretch on the upper thigh- train your thighs, they will be able to take some of the strain from your calves. Hold for 40 seconds plus.
Additional stretches could be legs straight, touch your toes, hold for 1 min or more.
Sit on the ground, knees bent, soles of the feet touching each other flat. Press slightly on your knees to increase the stretch along your groin and inner thighs. This is great after a long bike ride or run.
Sit on the ground, one leg straight, the other with the knee bent and calf going across your thigh. Hold your knee towards the ground and to intensify, try to reach the toes of the foot which is on the ground by pushing your back down and along (do not reach or grab, lower your upper body towards the foot). Hold for 40 seconds or more.
There are no doubt many more, these are just what I do.
To help your leg you need a real diagnosis- for shinsplints the idea is to rest so if you can't stop 100%, take to bike riding, eliptical machine work, rowing...etc for atleast 6 weeks to give your body time to repair. When you go back to running, do so as a beginner would, eg run for 60 seconds, walk for 60 seconds, repeat 10 times. Next week run 1.5 mins walk 60 seconds, repeat 10 times...etc etc. If you notice any pain stop and rest all over again. Shinsplints are a b*gger to get rid of!
It could be tendonitis or a muscle strain or fractured bones or something like your gait needing to be checked which is why its important to get it checked out first.
I had shin splints/tendonitis, it still gets to me if I run on the flat. I now run uphill on a treadmill and its not there when I run but I only gotta run on the flat for 1 min and its right back again. I can't do the "rest" thing so I have to work around it. Shin supports can also help if your feeling the pain as a day to day thing but I found they got too sweaty to wear when I ran. They did help a little bit but not enough to warrent me wearing them every time I want to run.
