Shin pain

[Ember]

Trying to do a bit of walking to improve my health, but why do I get the most awful shin pain for about 20 minutes at the start of my walk? Just read an earlier posting about someone who has taken up jogging and had the same problem, so my question is Can I do anything to help this, ie certain type of shoes, or intake of certain foods? Help I really am serious about more walking.

[Octavius]

Sounds like shin splints to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

[Catso]

It sounds like shin splints to me, as well.

I suffer from this. To be honest, I've never found a perfect cure. I was told, by a professional runner, that the correct footwear helps a lot, he advised going to a 'proper' runner's shop and get a well-fitted pair of trainers. I never did, as I'd be looking at a bill of around �100, he said!

He also said exercise and pre-/post-excercise stretches would help. I did these, but I never noticed any difference.

[Clanad]

Octavius is probably right about this one... The connective sheath attached to the muscles and bone of the lower leg become irritated, resulting in a sharp pain in the lower leg along the inside of the tibia or shin bone. Shin splints can be felt anywhere from just below the knee down to the ankle. The pain may diminish after warming up but then returns a few minutes after the completion of a workout. The cause is pronation...The tibia (shinbone) is forced to twist slightly in the opposite or outside direction from the planting of the foot in running, stretching the calf muscles. The amount of pronation needs to be limited, thus, anti-inflammatory medications such as I-B Propfin should be taken one hour before starting practice. Just before practice the affected area should be heated up. The use of hot towels, heat pack or whirlpool for 15-20 minutes should do the trick. Additionally, The changing of shoe may be necessary as well; stretching prior to running will be beneficial and training on soft surfaces will help alleviate excessive pounding.

Here are features of a shoe for an overpronator, the more common runner type for shin splints recipients:

Contd.

[Clanad]

Contd.

Rigid plastic collar that wraps around the shoe heel for support and to control excess pronation.
A firm shoe with lots of supports.
A rear-heel area made of solid rubber.
Dual density midsole with the firmer material on the inside edge. This construction is easy to spot since the midsole will usually come in different colors.
A �board-lasted� shoe. To tell if a shoe is board-lasted, pull out the insole, the extra strip of material that is inside the shoe. If there is no stitching between the inside and bottom of the shoe it is board lasted.
(Source Ortho-Dynamics)

[Ember]

Thankyou all, but especially thanks to Clanad, very informative and helpful. I will persevere.

[Catso]

Further to clanad's answer, my advisor said the 'expert fitter' asks you to take in a well-worn pair of old trainers, and he uses these to judge exactly how you are putting your foot to the floor. He then advises, along the line of what clanad says, as to the best design of trainer to support your foot/stride. And any customisations that are possible.

All that is why you're looking at �100 bill!