UKC

I have been running more than usual for fitness and weight reasons and have started to notice an ache on the inside of my shins in the area just above my ankle to about half way up my lower leg. It can be tender to the touch but it is not a constant pain.

Should I worry or is it just conditioning?

In reply to andic:

I had that and it got too painful to walk eventually. NHS got me walking pain free, but said that was as far as they'd take it (in fact all they actually did was tell me to rest and take ibuprofen). I was 21 at the time and trying to join the armed forces. Apparently the NHS think it's acceptable to tell a 21 year old that they'll just have to give up running. Not really a solution. I had to start paying for private physio, but could only afford 4 sessions which obviously did nothing. I stopped running for about 2 years and it seems not bad now but I don't run regularly at all as I'm too scared it'll come back. The area is still tender to touch. No one ever actually told me what the problem was. I'd get it seen to sharpish.

In reply to andic: It could be a build up of fluid in the tissues of the lower leg. I suffered similar symptoms last year and a good sports massage got rid of it, bloody hurt at the time though.

Might be worth biting down on something and trying some self massage of the area as this will help clear any excess fluid that may have accumulated because of your increase in running.

I'm sure you don't need anyone to tell you that rapid increases in distance is a sure fire way to pick up injuries. So no more than a 10% increase each week is advisable, that's 10% over the week not 10% on each run.

Saying all of this I'm a runner not a professional and can only go on the brief description you've given.

If in doubt go see a sports therapist.

Cx

In reply to andic: Stay off roads and the pain will decrease and eventually your legs will become conditioned to to the strains of extra running and you can then start to build up your road mileage if you must (can't think why though as off road is much better fun).

In reply to andic:

As any with any injury it can be many things, but I have had the kind of pain you describe a few months back when I increased mileage quite suddenly. According to my physio he sees this often in runners at the beginning of the season. In my case some massage and a bit of reduced mileage sorted things out quickly.

In reply to Removed User:

It could be something to do with this I have been running to my "Run" in the Peak recently and perhaps my trainers are not appropriate for this use (wave harriers)

In reply to andic:

I sometimes get pain like you describe if I am having a particularly heavy week, I had it this week after racing and doing a hard tempo run on consecutive days. Take things little easier, but don't stop running. If it doesn't get better or gets worse rest a bit more and think about getting some professional advice. It may be the start of shin splints, which requires a bit of rest then a slow build up of activity, but it doesn't sound like that yet.

In reply to andic:

This seems simple but are you wearing decent trainers for your running style? I ask because I used to get this until I went to a shop and got gait analysis done and got trainers that help with over pronation while running and since then I notice it starts to come back after I've done about 600 miles in the trainers so basically once they are done and I need new trainers.