Shin Splint?

[BarbaraAlys]

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

[OakLeaf]

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?

[BarbaraAlys]

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

[aicabsolut]

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.

[BarbaraAlys]

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.

[OakLeaf]

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.