[pct-l] Shin splints?

[Tom Holz]

In some situations, shin splints are preventable, but it means taking 
ownership of you movement and being willing to change the way you hike. 
  Mango made a good comment about some ways to reduce hiking stress:

"I'm going back on the PCT in 3 weeks, with a kinder, gentler strategy. 
  Less weight in the pack, fewer miles per day, more zeros and more rest 
periods."

Very good advice, and I would only add that you may be able to 
consciously improve your gait so that there is less stress coming into 
your body with every step.

Many people "naturally" walk in a way that is ok for daily life, but 
isn't workable on a thru-hike.  You can drive around town for years in a 
car stuck in first gear and get by, but trying to merge onto the 
interstate to drive cross-country is a bad idea if you don't fix the car 
first.

Bigfoot



On 6/20/2012 2:35 PM, Robert E. Riess wrote:
> 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