I'm a photographer based out of Anchorage, Alaska. I've recently become a wife, a stepmother, and a homeowner. Life is pretty awesome. You can email me anytime. Learn more...
Also: catching up on Game of Thrones. #adultweek 1 hour ago
Just dropped the boy off for JROTC orientation camp. AKA I'm eating every home meal #nopants for the next week. 1 hour ago
Ah well. I'm still going to bed. Shit can get done another day. 10 hours ago
Get Shit Done time interrupted by a very important Minecraft Show and Tell. 10 hours ago
Okay one half hour of the Get Shit Done hat and then I'm going to bed. 11 hours ago
6 Comments
Speaking as someone who suffers from horrible shin disorders, mostly of the whacking and/or splinting kind, you have my deepest sympathies.
And let this be a lesson to all of you out there who might be toying with the idea of jogging. Remember kids, excercise can hurt you. Just say no.
I don't suppose you could find someplace to run that isn't on pavement? That'd help tremendously. Better shoes would definitely help and I think you'll get past the shin splint issue if you keep running. ...though I can't say that I've ever actually tried the running thing long enough to test that theory.
As another shin splint veteran, I would highly recommend that you do *not* run anymore until your shins stop hurting. That's how my foot got broken. Believe me, a *gradual* break is much less fun than a sudden, accidental one.
Good shoes are a must. I like New Balance and Saucony, but more important than the brand is to get shoes that fit your feet like a glove. Try on fifty pairs if that's what it takes. I know you've heard it before, but if they don't feel right in the store, they never will.
I would recommend against third-party insoles/supports like Dr. Scholls. Those are generic -- in other words, *not shaped specifically for your foot*. Your whole goal is to get shoes that fit your feet perfectly. When you finally find them, you'll know.
Definitely try to find some unpaved place to run. Dirt tracks and grass are fine. Gravel is okay as long as it doesn't shift under your feet (you can expend a lot of wasted energy on loose gravel without ever realizing it). In the Army, they have these running tracks made from shredded bits of old tires, and they were the best thing you can imagine to run on.
Oh, and be sure to stretch. A lot. If you're not sure what stretches joggers/runners need, let me know and I'll be more specific.
id love more information on stretching, because im probably not doing the right ones.
i walked my route this morning, and it was pretty sad to not be able to run. i cant keep my pace up enough while walking to do me much good. i need to find some alternative, be it a different route or a different way to excercise (get a bike?).
The best low-impact aerobic exercise is swimming, if you have a place to do it. Bicycling is good too, but you have to keep reminding yourself that it's supposed to be *exercise*. On a bike on a fine summer morning, it's easy to slow down and assume a more recreational pace without even realizing you're doing it.
These are the stretches I would recommend. Whenever I say "hold for 30 seconds", it would actually be better to hold for 30 seconds, then relax for 5-10 seconds, then do the same stretch again for *another* 30 seconds. However, I realize your time is probably limited, so do what you can. Obviously, there are other stretches you can do for your back and upper body, but these are the essential ones for jogging/running.
1. This is for your quadriceps:
Stand on your left leg and bend your right leg, like a flamingo. Reach behind your left leg with your left hand and grab your right ankle. Hold your right arm straight out to the side for balance (if you have trouble maintaining your balance, you can put your fingertips against a wall, but do not lean on it). Hold for 30 seconds, then reverse position to stretch the other leg.
2. This is for your hamstrings and calves:
Sit on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you, feet touching. Reach with both arms and touch your toes (if you're flexible enough, try to touch them with the palms of your hands instead of your fingertips). Hold for 30 seconds.
Next, from the same seated position, spread your legs as wide as you comfortably can. Stretch straight forward with both hands and touch the ground as far away as possible. Hold for 30 seconds.
From the same spread-leg position, touch the toes of one foot with both hands. The far hand will not reach the foot as easily as the near hand, so you will feel this stretch more on the side opposite from the foot. Hold for 30 seconds, then reverse position for the other foot.
3. This is the classic "runner's stretch" and is mainly for your calves:
Stand facing a wall about 18 inches away. Place one foot back about 18 inches and lean forward until both hands are lightly pushing on the wall (you should look like Sisyphus pushing his rock up the mountain). Both feet should be flat on the ground. You should feel a good stretch in the rearmost calf; if not, adjust your position until you do. Hold for 30 seconds, then reverse position.
One more! :) I forgot that this one, while for your abs rather than your legs, is important for running.
4. This is for your abs, and should prevent the "stitch in the side":
Standing straight, feet together, interlace your fingers in front of you with palms facing away from you (the fingertips of each hand will touch the back of the opposite hand). Raise your arms until your hands, still in the same position, are directly above your head. Stand on your tiptoes and push upward as far as you can, as though you're holding up the sky. If you don't feel much of a stretch in your abs, push your stomach out a bit and lean backward slightly (be careful not to put yourself off balance here). Hold for 30 seconds.