Shin Splint?

Do you think you can get shin splints from cycling? I did a search on this site and it was inconclusive. Then I read a number of medical sites and none of them mention cycling as an activity that leads to shin splints.

But...the day after my long ride on Saturday my shin, about three inches above the ankle, just to the outside of the shin (on the front) was slightly swollen and sore, especially when dorsal flexing my foot. It was feeling better until yesterday when I did my short-ish, but challenging (thanks to that stupid head wind) ride. I iced it last night, and this morning it was some better, but walking around here at work it is starting to hurt again.

Any input?

Barbara

Just curious--were you doing lots of hills and climbing?

One of my cyclist friends gave up running because of chronic shin splints. He's not had any episodes of shin splints since. Now say it fast. :D

I know I've had them. Especially early in the season, after riding aggressively.

Well, for ME it was lots of hills. I'm in Texas, so it is relative, but this was not considered a flat ride around here. And there was a head wind. And it was a long distance for me, 53 miles.

I guess the only treatment is RICE, right?
Barbara

I gave up running largely because of chronic shin splints, though I had a different kind (medial tibial stress syndrome, it's now called). I never really had any issue with the tibialis anterior muscle, though strains of that muscle (and the connecting extensor tendons) are also called "shin splints." If you had a lot more ankle action from the change in your ride conditions, you could easily have overused that muscle. Maybe your form wasn't perfect either. I don't think it's a common cycling injury, but I wouldn't say it's impossible or anything. I think that the ice will help the swelling, but massage may help it heal faster. So, massage until the area is flushed (with some sort of lotion, not just till you rub the skin red), and then follow with ice. Obviously take it easy, but I think you can probably still ride some, just err on the flatter easier side, and don't ride if it is bothering you just sitting around.

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Originally Posted by BarbaraAlys

Well, for ME it was lots of hills. I'm in Texas, so it is relative, but this was not considered a flat ride around here.

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I know what you mean. I live near hills, whereas our west coast gals would consider it as ant hills. :D

I was planning on a very flat 60 miles on Saturday. I guess I'll have to see how it feels between now and then.

Thanks for the input.

Barbara

+1 for ice, massage, and more ice
And if it were me I'd be into the anti-inflammatories too.

damage to cartilage in knees is often experienced as shinsplint pain rather than pain necessarily in the knees themselves-- a bike fit might be well wirth the money to optimise you knee position and see if that stops the shin problems which may just be poor riding position knee joint issue...

batsheva

I am on a new bike, and the last two weeks road harder than I have lately (last week-end was my second 50+ ride ever, the weekend before was 30 on Sat, 20 on Sunday, including hills in all of those rides). I had not had the basic fit yet, either (my bike salesman wanted me to get 100 miles on the bike before we made adjustments).

I went to have the basic fit yesterday and riding on the trainer for a few minutes made my leg hurt, then driving and working a sewing machine irritated it further (dorsal flex for both of those activities), so I decided not to go do the ride today :(

The bike mechanic did not change much; raised my seat, changed my handle bar stem. We will have to see if those changes have an effect. He also thinks I will need a different saddle, but he didn't want to change too much at once.

Barbara

Are you ankling a lot when you pedal?

When I had my saddle too far forward (trying to address some saddle problems) I wound up with a lot of cramps in my tibialis anterior. I was also ankling a lot at the time. Since I've gotten a different saddle, moved it back and learned to drive through my heels more, I haven't had any more trouble.

I know it's not the same as shin splints (which I've only had from running, not cycling), but since it's in the same part of my body maybe it's related to what you're getting?

Oakleaf, from what I've read "shin splints" is a bucket term that any pain in the shin area falls into. I have not had this looked at by a dr., so I'm calling it shin splints for lack of a better word.

It is possible I was ankling more than usual. As I said I'm on a new bike and had not had a fit before my hard (for me) ride last week-end. The ride had a lot of rolling hills and head wind, so form was probably crappy.

I went to the bike shop on Friday and we moved the seat up, which also moved it back some. I will have to see if that is better or not.
I have not been out riding yet. I have been trying to let it get better first, however I think I've done a stupid thing. I have been sewing a lot the last few days, and that is a dorsal flex movement, the exact movement that aggravates the injury (driving hurts too). Stupid! It is still swollen and acky, though not that burning pain that it was on Thursday. So, today is rest and ice and little flexing of the ankle. I WANT TO GO FOR A RIDE!...<sigh>

I'll live. And it isn't that big a pain so part of me feels like I should just go work through it.

Barbara

have you tried wearing a brace or bandage when you sew or drive? the compression could help you do those activities without irritating it as much.

I had an ace bandage holding on an ice pack for part of the sewing, but am thinking of wearing one when I try to ride on Wed, just as a preventative. The darn thing still is not pain free, and kind of 'crunches' (not really audible, but I put my finger on the area and flex my foot...the feeling if it were a sound would be crunching).

Thanks for the advise.

b.

That gravely feeling kind of sounds like tendinitis... - the inflamed tendon hanging up in its sheath. That's how my forearms get when my tennis elbow flares up anyhow.

When I had shin splints from running, yeah, wrapping my whole lower legs in Ace bandages took care of it.