do shoes cause shin splints?

Discussion in 'Injuries' started by terror, Dec 5, 2005.

  1. terror

    terror Regular Member

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    ok heres the scenario. ive got 2 pairs of shoes, 1 old and 1 new. the old is already 1 size too big to begin with, and it has been in use for more than 2 years now so i think i can safely say that it has probably expanded to yet another size bigger. when running with it i have no problems except that it tends to aggravate my achille's problem

    the 2nd pair is fitting and snug, used only twice so far, no more than a few days old. during running the muscle/tendon that is just beside the shin bone starts to feel as if it is contracting excessively. this tendon is the one pointing to the outside of the shin, very close to the front of the shin itself (try pulling your toes towards the shins, the tendon that tightens most noticeably is the one im referring to). so i get this lil pain after running with this pair of shoes

    so im wondering about a few things. is my condition classified under "shin splints" at all? since articles on shin splints seem to refer to a tendon which is on the inside of the shin.

    another thing i feel might have contributed to this problem, of course, is the lack of exercise. the last time i ran with my old pair of shoes was months ago, then a long period of inactivity due to examinations, and now im on the road with this new pair of shoes. could it be due to the lack of exercise? tendons and muscles simply not used to this training?

    or could it be the shoes itself causing this problem? i dont think this's the case. but one difference i definitely feel when i try on both shoes is that when wearing the old pair, my feet are "flatter" on the ground, probably because the shoes are bigger. with the new pair, my toes are slightly raised and the tendon i mentioned above is already in a very slightly contracted state. coupled with the pounding associated with running, i thought it might have caused this problem. my rebuttal to this possibility is that sports experts all recommend fitting shoes and therefore it should not be the cause of this problem

    thanks for reading through everything. any advice would be greatly appreciated:)
     
  2. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    Shin splints are unlikely to be caused by the shoes alone, but poorly fitting shoes could aggravate them.

    Shin splints are almost always caused by a biomechanical problem. Your feet and legs may not be properly aligned when you walk or run.

    I had shin splints too, and since getting corrective orthotics they have disappeared :)

    Biomechanical problems of the lower body are surprisingly common. I've been told by orthotists that about 40% of people over-pronate when they walk.

    Really, our feet are not very sturdy! We are balanced precariously on the outside front and the calcanium (heel bone) of each foot, and our bipedal running places all our weight on this unstable support. We are not built for running!

    As a result, our gait has to be nearly perfect in order to avoid minor injury.

    If you really want to solve the problem, I recommend consulting a good physiotherapist and/or an orthotist.
     

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