I have a question about shin splints. From what I read, the front part of the shin is supposed to be painful while running. For the past month or so, I have a lot of pain on the inside of my legs, halfway between my ankle and knee. When I press on what I believe to be a muscle, it stings with pain. While typing this just now, I just felt it again. The pain might be from the outer edge of a bone - perhaps the shin bone? It bothers me in the first 3/4 of a mile run, then goes away. If I do back to back days of running, the second day is painful after the run is over.
Does it sound like I have shin splints as well?
What you have read about is called Medial Shin Splints. Yes that is regarding the front of the leg only. But there are two other types of shin splints. Anterior and Posterior. Posterior Shin Splints are on the inside of the leg.
Your description sounds just like what I had. I did some research and decided I have somewhere between Posterior Tibial Tendonitus and Shin Splints. Its worth searching for info on this to double check as well as seeking out a physiotherapist for advice as trust me, you want to nip it in the bud or it just gets worse. Alot worse (as in painful even to walk).
Just like you I found it painful as hell to run the first 5 mins or so, then afterwards it almost vanished. I thought I was fine! Then all of a sudden after 15 mins of running BANG! Right back again and even worse, and it just feels too painful for the foam roller and even worse the next day.
The reason is (or was for me anyway) as when I was exercising, the ligaments which hold the muscle onto the bone had been torn or stretched too far. It was causing me pain. As I continued to run, things were getting worse and there is/was no form of stretching or exercise I could to to repair the damage, once its damaged you need to rest it. Only attempting to test it out one a while when your fairly sure its gone. It is an over use exercise very similar to shin splints. It can become serious if you do not look after it and allow it to recover.
There are ways to help prevent it coming back. Not that its the 100% preventable at all but stretch properly and for long enough, work on core stability exercises (so your core can take some of the strain your muscles in your calf are taking).
Try to see a pshysio or personal trainer who can advise a few exercises for the other leg to prevent both suffering from the same condition and rest! The longer you leave it, the more you need to rest. Mine only went away when I quit running (I could still just about cycle and use the elliptical machine which was very dull as my excerise regime takes about 2 hours 5 days a week). It took 6-8 months, felt longer then this! Also took omega 3+6 oils and being quite young and eating well (healthy weight etc) I tend to heal muscles and cuts etc quite quickly.
When I returned to running I found the pain came back but if I ran on an incline it stays away. This itself took some training but now I find I can run intervals on the treadmill, 11km/h and 5% incline works best. Anything below 3.5% and the pain comes back. The reason the incline doesn't hurt is that it breaks the running stride, your simply not able to place the same inpact on each foot as it meets the ground and this helps as part of the problem is caused by the constant high impact.
Another good idea is, if you have already not done so, to go visit a specialised training store and get your Gait fixed. If they find your feet pronate they can correct the problem. Normally pronations don't cause problems in our daily lives but with running we are constantly placing high impact on each foot over and over again, this is a repetative stress and if the angle of our foot landing on the ground places an uneven force over the foot the shin can often pick up the pressure and muscles are incorrecty being used, they become over worked, rarely get stretched enough and then become injured.
