[pct-l] Shin splints?

Robert E. Riess robert.riess at cox.net
Wed Jun 20 13:35:40 CDT 2012


I can only tell you about my own experience, which was 35 years ago.  I 
developed a bad case of shin splints in 1975.  My navy doctor said it was 
caused by jogging on asphalt  with inadequately cushioned shoes.  I was 
jogging in running shoes, (flats).  These shoes might have been adequate for 
sprinting, but jogging involves a lot more pounding, the sprinting stride 
being smoother.  My doctor described shin splints as a tearing of the muscle 
away from the shin bone.  His advice was to take a year off from jogging.  I 
took the year off, and then started a comprehensive program of 
rehabilitation which included thoroughly warming up and stretching before 
walking.  I did this for 6 months, and then tried jogging.  After an 
extensive warmup. I jogged 70 yards and had to quit because of pain.  6 
months more and I was able to start jogging again, and very slowly, over 
many years, I was able to build up to a half marathon in 1990.  I have 
extensive bumps under the skin on both shins, described to me by a physician 
as scar tissue.  The same doctor said the good thing (?) about shin splints 
is, once you recover from a bad case of them, you will never get them again. 
I have not gotten them again.  So that's it, that's my story.  Of course my 
physicians could be very badly mistaken.  Certainly sports medicine has come 
a long ways since the 1970's.  In my personal experience, I have not heard 
of anybody developing shin splints from walking, even while carrying a load. 
That doesn't mean it can't happen.  Good luck to all hikers.  Bob Riess, San 
Diego

-----Original Message----- 
From: Susan Alcorn
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 10:06 AM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Shin splints?


Anyone knowledgeable about shin splints--symptoms, time for recovery, etc.? 
Thanks in anticipation....
Backpack45



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