That's It, I'm Burning The Books

[TheNeil]

First the good news: I haven't fractured my legs

 

Now the bad news (and the explanation for the above 'good news'). Having been hitting the pavements pretty hard in the past few weeks I'd started to get all sorts of nasty pains in my shins and, like a fool, read up on it using the ever handy Runner's Guide. I followed the symptoms and came to the conclusion that I had stress-fractures on both legs (micro breaks in the bone basically which, if unchecked, would probably snap altogether and leave me a wheelchair bound cripple and unable to get into shops or buy Viz). 'tinternet was even less helpful as it started talking about X-rays, MRI scans (you could tell that these were US sites - I could be dead and buried before the NHS let mere mortals near MRI scanners), plaster casts, months of no exercise at all and etc. So I went into panic mode, hardly slept over the weekend and hobbled about as best I could yesterday before going off to the GPs last night (yes I was surprised to get in that quick too)

 

The nice man (who I'd never seen before as my usual GP is off having a baby (still) and her stand-in (another nice man) was also off (probably not having a baby but who can tell these days) so I took what I could) asked what the problem was and I rambled on and said that I'd decided to 'seek medical advice'. He then asked what I was doing seeing him and then laughed himself stupid (). Well he had a prod about (oo-er), twisted my legs a bit, did a quick Google search (and he gets paid for this?) and then decided that it probably was stress fractures (oh God, goodbye cruel world). But, as he (briefly) explained, shin splints were just very small stress fractures and this definitely came under that. Week off (running, not work)(booo) and take these magic pills. He also poured total scorn on the sports therapist that I'd been to see in February pointing out that it couldn't be muscular (as she'd said) as it was the bone that was hurting...and there's no muscle on the bone (I then pointed out that, like the car, I just use it/them and have no idea how these things actually work)

 

I am now contemplating burning the 'all knowing' running book and adding some sort of parental controls to the computer to stop me from 'investigating' things. This is all Mrs Neil's fault - if she hadn't walked out then there would have been a voice of sanity to stop me from going off on one

[aro]

Hope they heal quickly, must be painful ,

 

Anna x

[UltraMum]

Shin splints are painful - I've had them lots of times (probably because I like to do my exercising at extremely well spaced intervals and then throw myself into it too hard! )

 

Usually takes about a fortnight to get over it. I'm not in a wheel chair yet!

 

This time round I have managed to develop plantar fasciitis - I'll let you Google that!

 

Hope you are better soon <'>

[oxgirl]

Bad news on the old shin splints, glad it's nothing more serious though.

Silly question, but have you got really, REALLY good running shoes?? There are all sorts out there with extra spring in them that really help the old bones, not to mention the knees.

 

How are you enjoying the running club?

 

~ Mel ~

[TheNeil]

Bad news on the old shin splints, glad it's nothing more serious though.

Silly question, but have you got really, REALLY good running shoes?? There are all sorts out there with extra spring in them that really help the old bones, not to mention the knees.

 

How are you enjoying the running club?

 

~ Mel ~

 

Hi Mel,

 

Yep I buy 'decent' running shoes and usually have an A pair and a B pair (buying a new pair about ever 9 months - just killed a pair of Mizunos off and now have another pair of Mizunos and a shiny new pair of Axis (which I haven't really used much)). I also go to a specialist running shop and they advise on support, examine how you run etc. and I've mentioned to them on the past 2-3 shoe buying expeditions that I've been suffering from lower leg pain and I assume they've taken that on board when suggesting trainers - I certainly don't just pick the prettiest pair

 

I was enjoying the running club a lot but I'll have to miss this week and next week looks like I'll be out on my own doing a 2-3 shorter, gentler runs (i.e. easing myself back into it). Sadly I think in my youthful(?) enthusiasm I've been pushing myself a bit too much and this is what's brought on my current problem. Just got to build gradually once I get going again

 

So no running this week - I'll become a couch potato I just know it

[oxgirl]

Hi Mel,

 

Yep I buy 'decent' running shoes and usually have an A pair and a B pair (buying a new pair about ever 9 months - just killed a pair of Mizunos off and now have another pair of Mizunos and a shiny new pair of Axis (which I haven't really used much)). I also go to a specialist running shop and they advise on support, examine how you run etc. and I've mentioned to them on the past 2-3 shoe buying expeditions that I've been suffering from lower leg pain and I assume they've taken that on board when suggesting trainers - I certainly don't just pick the prettiest pair

 

I was enjoying the running club a lot but I'll have to miss this week and next week looks like I'll be out on my own doing a 2-3 shorter, gentler runs (i.e. easing myself back into it). Sadly I think in my youthful(?) enthusiasm I've been pushing myself a bit too much and this is what's brought on my current problem. Just got to build gradually once I get going again

 

So no running this week - I'll become a couch potato I just know it

 

 

Hiya,

 

Aw, that's a shame really, was hoping it would be a quick and easy fix to just change your running shoes!

 

Glad you've been enjoying the club. It's easy to get carried away with the fast boys, isn't it (not that I know!!), my hubby used to half kill himself to keep at the front, then he'd come home and feel terrible!!

 

Hope the rest and easing back in does the trick.

 

~ Mel ~

[brooke]

Hi theneil

 

ive had shin splints before normally from the dog yanking me down the steets!! They knack though dont they!! Hope you can walk better soon

 

Brooke

[TheNeil]

Hi theneil

 

ive had shin splints before normally from the dog yanking me down the steets!! They knack though dont they!! Hope you can walk better soon

 

Brooke

 

I feel better that it's not stress fractures and can now walk at something approaching a decent speed (I felt like some sort of pensioner at the weekend as the snails and tortoises overtook me). They never hurt before as much as they did last week...hence the trip to the doctors. At least my hypochondria got a good workout

[Frangipani]

Hi TN

 

Thats bad luck, sorry to hear that.

 

How about swimming while you recover.

 

Swimming is excellent if you have any recurring sports injuries as you cant do any injuries.

 

You could clock up quite a few kilometres in the pool. Perhaps you could find out what their quiet times are. Then it will be quite peaceful for you.

 

Hope you get better soon. <'>

 

Fx

[DaisyProudfoot]

Shin Splints - ouch feel for you Not nice

 

Hope you're on the mend soon <'>

[TheNeil]

Swimming is a no go as, although there's a swimming pool less than 10 minutes walk away, I generally sink like a stone. Nothing to do with not being able to swim (mastered that) but due to the lack of body fat - curse me for being sleek muscle

 

Nope I've dragged the rowing machine and the exercise bike out of the garage and will give them a try tonight to keep my aerobic fitness up. Hopefully I should be able to start running (slow and short) at the weekend. Then, if all goes well, 2 or 3 3-4 mile jogs/runs the week after and should be back up to speed and off to see the fast people at the running club. Then just got to build from those 10 miles per week up to 20-30 miles (only this time I'll increase it s-l-o-w-l-y)

 

Fortuneately my training partner is in Norway for a couple of weeks so by the time he gets back I should be recovered

[Frangipani]

Those rowing machines are excellent, I want to get one. I have a friend who is a personal trainer and she says one of those and the stairmaster is a must for every household.

 

Hope the pain part is under control thats the worst part, especially if it affects your sleep.

 

[TheNeil]

Those rowing machines are excellent, I want to get one. I have a friend who is a personal trainer and she says one of those and the stairmaster is a must for every household.

 

Hope the pain part is under control thats the worst part, especially if it affects your sleep.

 

 

Eveything went wrong last Thursday (pain wise) so I hobbled about like an old man. On Sunday I crawled into town (speed wise) to watch my training partner running a 10km race (which was hell on Earth - I wanted to run it too) and then crawled back. Monday I phoned the doctors up and had no pain whatsoever (AARRGGHH - Why does this always happen?). They've not hurt since and all of the tenderness on my shins that's been there for seemingly months has totally gone and this is despite 45 minutes of rowing and walking briskly everywhere. So tonight I'll strap on my running shoes and head out at geriatric pace to see what's what (very short run, very slow pace). If that's a success then the weekend will see another gentle run (probably longer distance and faster pace though)

 

The rowing machine is excellent (a pain in the ass though)(and that's literally a pain in the ass - I don't have the necessary 'padding' ) and I have heard that stairmaster machines are really good as they massively reduce the impact that just walking up and down stairs can cause (so far better for joints and impact injuries)

[kirstie]

<'> Och, i hope you are feeling better and taking it easy at the moment with the running!

I must admit i do love reading your posts. They do make me laugh (not at your injury of coarse ) I have just joined a Gym today! It was a super duper special offer of 2.99 a week it's not a trndy posers paradise but friendly relaxed place where i'm sure i'll get rid of some of my unneccesartry padding! (pregnant or not, i need the excercise!)

Make sure you ease back into it gently!

[TheNeil]

AARRGGH It all went wrong again

 

After being a self-imposed invalid for a week (and just why did everyone in Harrogate feel the need to run past me at some time during that week? I hate everything ) I went out on Thursday for a slow, short run and could feel everything tightening up after about a mile. So I dropped down to walking speed, walked the next 3/4 mile and then jogged the last bit (did about 4 km in total). The worst bit was being overtaken by a pensioner and having terrible pain in both legs afterwards

 

So I spent Friday scouring tinternet for stretching exercises, strengthening exercises and any advice I could find, some of which mentioned stride patterns which got me thinking (oh God noooooo)...

 

So yesterday morning I was up at the crack of dawn (as per usual), popped a compression bandage onto the more painful leg (and then had to put my Lycra running leggings on to avoid looking like a <insert rude word here> - despite the fact that I'd probably overheat)(oh and I do look really sexy in them with my stick insect like legs ), stretched out for 10 minutes (rather than the usual 2) and set off at 'normal' pace (i.e. fast, long strides). 16 minutes later (rather than the 23 it took on Thursday to do the same route) I'm back home with nary a twinge of pain. So much for the book (again) which said to go slow and take short strides (my legs aren't built for that and my pathetic muscles obviously thought "What the hell's he doing? We're not supposed to be doing this...OWWWWW")

 

I think I might be cured (or on the road to 'cured' anyway)

 

Kirstie: Well done you for joining a gym. I'm not a fan of gyms myself (could be the AS, I dunno) but if it works for you then go for it...and sounds like a bargain too (he said, speaking like a true Yorkshireman)