Undiagnosed shin pain

[aineblue]

I have been having shin pain/discomfort in my right shin consistently for about 1.5 years. I began a running regimen about two years ago and did get some shin splints. I took off some time and have been unable to get over this shin pain. The pain has changed over time as well. I'm 21, generally active and healthy and a normal weight. I love running and really want to get back into this with this issue solved.

I believe the first case of shin splints that I had was fairly typical. I may have overextended my training too quickly. I had the normal aching tenderness brought on my exercise. After giving myself two months of rest (instead did a little biking), I tried to get back into running around February. However, after just one or two brief jogs the shin pain was quite terrible in both shins. I am certain that I did not run more than half a mile at a conversational pace. The pain was very concentrated in my shins, on the fronts and in the middle of the bone. I tried some toe raises and the like to strengthen the muscle while I rested again. By the summer, I was able to run about 1.5 miles, but there was always discomfort and underlying pain. No amount of rest seemed to help, so I decided to push a bit. But I was never able to run farther than 1.5/2 miles without the pain/discomfort forcing me to stop.

A couple of months after this, I had to stop running completely as the pain was becoming constant, during the day and normal activity.

Let me describe the sensation...
The pain began as shin splint pain. A sort of aching and sharp spasms brought on by increased exercise. It then became more of a cracking, weakness. Like I felt like the bone had a break or fracture. Now, the pain is a dull aching when going up/down stairs. And there is a popping sensation. If I cross my legs and go to put my ankle on my knee there is this crackling popping thing that grabs my shin. Now the pain is mostly isolated in my right shin.

I have gotten MRIs and xrays. They both came up clean and my doc said it's probably shin splints. But no amount of rest/icing eases the pain.

I have been told my a physical therapist that I have a leg length disparity and that my right leg/hip is weaker than my left side. They also told me that the leg length disparity is likely made visible because it is in fact my hip joint that is uneven.

Has anyone experienced any of these things? And thoughts?

 

[CrazyOldMan]

This may be inappropriate as your running technique could be perfect, but as someone who had to correct mine to avoid injury and has successfully managed to keep going to about twice your age and gained 1.5 times my original weight I understand how easy it can be to run badly without knowing it.
The other area to check out is suitability of footwear. I tried shifting a few years ago without checking gait etc. first and that gave me shin pain too. Cushioning etc. has to bee right, not to much or little.

Starting at the top, head, neck and shoulders should be relaxed. Holding tension in these areas will cause neck pain and waste energy. It is not uncommon to see hunched shoulders on people who find running painful.
Arms, this was my area of correction. You are running forward, so your arms go forward and back, if doing distance this is with low relaxed hands, sprinters generally more driving forward. Crossing over the body in front of you risks twisting the knees and wastes energy. Women are very prone to a different issue when wearing inadequate support so trying to support their breasts with their arms instead.
Torso, relaxed with enough twist to keep chest facing forward. Breathing should be relaxed and as deep or shallow as you find most comfortable, if wanting to deepen your breathing slow down until used to it, everyone who does this hates slowing down, but gains in the long run.
Legs, again forward and back but unlike the arms there is a slight diagonal movement due to the way the foot strike needs to be, very, very slight. Hips stay in good line knees go forward, not up, I have expressed my displeasure at the stupidity of 'Get those knees up' numerous times, you aren't running up you are running forward, so your legs bring your feet only as far of the ground as you need to without tripping. Sticking to this means less impact and less shin pain in most cases. I run on pavements and my feet are rarely much over an inch above the ground. Hips in normal posture, not sticking out wiggling etc. just allowing your legs to move.
Finally the feet. Check your strike pattern on an old set of shoes, the wear should reflect a landing on the outer heal, not the back of the heal landing should be around 20 up to 30 degrees maximum from flat, the weight then travels predominantly down the outside of the foot until it reaches the ball, when it travels along the ball to take off at the tip of the big toe. This means there is a slight diagonal angle within the strike, but ironically you take off with the leg straight behind you. If your strike pattern is perfect, welcome to the majority, now keep it that way.

Somewhere in this there will hopefully be an error you are making and can correct to save your shins.