Shin Splints - How do you handle the pain?

I have a horrible problem with shin splints. I actually never had any problem with them until after I had my first baby. After a few months, I started running to exercise and tone up again. After only a few weeks, I had severe pain in my knees and lower legs to the point where I couldn't even walk anymore, and I had a real problem with stairs, going both up and down. I was diagnosed with shin splints (for the leg pain) and patellafemoral sydrome (for the knee pain). I was put on Naproxin as an anti inflammatory medicine and I did a few months of physical therapy. After a while, I returned to normal, but I never really ran again after that. I just recently had my second child about 2 months ago, and once again, I started to run a few weeks after I had him. This time it came back within just 3 running sessions and the pain came so much faster and more painful. I am on Naproxin again, and so far it doesn't look like I'll have to go through PT again. Wayz12 - If you suspect you have them, stop running! Even if you stop, the pain gets worse no matter what you do, until you can go on an anti inflammatory medication to take down the swelling, or even take some PT. It will not go away on it's own if it's already pretty painful, trust me, I tried! You have to stop exercising for a short time, but you can gradually get back into pretty quickly, at a slow pace to start with. Did anyone else have this problem after having children? Are shin splints a genetic thing, or can just anyone randomly get them?

I get use to get those until I found out by pointing and flexing my foot, strengthens the muscles around the shin and eliminates the pain. This is something you can do just about anywhere, while eating,at your desk, watching tv.. But if this doesn't work, then I would make an appointment with your doctor and he/she may schedule a bone scan to make sure you don't have a stress fracture, which is what both my girls had.

If it might be shin splints, I would definitely see a doctor as those are very serious. I have had mild cases of it and I know other people who have had it so serious that they had to stop exercising for a very long time. It's extremely painful. You can take ibuprofen for the initial pain, but you have to do low impact exercises until it heals. I usually like to do the recumbent bike and I think the elliptical trainers can also be helpful. I would stop walking/running until the pain is better, too. If you keep working out on it, you can seriously damage your legs and won't be able to run at all.

maybe you need to consult a professional therapist on that..

I used to get shin splints quite a bit, but I did find a way to relieve the pain. Make yourself a slant board. Put it at a pretty good angle. You should feel stretching when you step on it. Stand on it with your toes at the top and heels at the bottom. Do this for a couple of minutes before running or walking and a couple of minutes after. It helped me immensely. I hope it helps you. Good luck!

Shin splints can be a serious problem. I would contact your doctor. I knew of someone who had this and had to have his shins 'shaved' and was layed up for a while. If you are young though it may just be growing pains but a trip to your GP will not hurt. Good luck!