chi running

elantan

when i have had the lactic acid build up pain before it was from going up a kinda large hill ( corbett) in a steep slope, it felt exactly like a lactic acid build up but you are totally right in that when i have had a lactic acid build up it goes away fast, this pain when i have had it can last up to a week ... the shin pain i am feeling currently is different, it does feel like the muscle is pulling away from the bone, as if the muscle is too heavy for the bone, it also feels like a bruise but there is not visible bruise to see ...

will look up diagrams for the muscle groups and also google all the other things ... i can see me watching you tube and taking notes for the next few days :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

gleek1

Firefox - interesting about not knowing you are knotted just because you don't feel pain. The number of massages where I have had some release from areas I didn't know hurt..!!! Do you have any good stretches for the peroneals and for the plantar fascia? They are the 2 places that when i try to do anything like massage myself they just go straight into spasm. They also tend to go into cramp even when not doing massage - could do with stretching them out, but I don't know if what I am doing is effective. For the peroneals I basically twist my foot outwards - that is the only way i have found to isolate them. Thing is that that tends to send me into cramp...!!

I think most people are guilty of not looking after their own bodies properly - I need to start practicing what I preach.!!

Fire_Fox

elantan wrote: »

ok i have a plea, could someone please teach me what to do? maybe Firefox and Gleek ... if you dont feel you want to then it's fine, but from what i have read i am doing everything wrong, and i really dont want to do things wrong, i want to get back to running and do it in a very healthy way, ii do need to loose weight and i know this and am working towards it, but for mr the running isnt for weight loss, its for enjoyment, and if i land up carrying on the way i am i will soon loose the enjoyment from it

please help me .. i think i need the dummies guide

thanks

el

I will and I am sure Gleek will too, she seems nice. Don't beat yourself up, I think you have got many things right, you were using a proper programme to build up your running and you have been fitted for shoes both of which are great. Many programmes do far too little warming up so it's worth adding some on to hit the full ten minutes low impact. It's good if we can identify areas to improve upon, it gives you a way forward.

I can only give general guidance here, I don't know your medical history and have not assessed your movement patterns. Given your shin splits are on the inner (medial) edge of the shin not the front poor biomechanics, overpronating, muscle imbalances could well be at fault.

You honestly could find a single intense session of sports massage/ SMR to the calf area gives you massive relief, because tight muscles will no longer be 'pulling' on the shin area which is likely the same as the compression sleeve does but by addressing one of the root causes not masking the symptoms. For this you would need a couple of sessions with a private physiotherapist or personal trainer specialising in postural issues/ biomechanics/ sports injuries (NOT a bog standard PT they should have higher qualifications) so there is obviously a cost implication and I don't know your budget. Foam rollers themselves are cheap as chips on places like Amazon.

As well as releasing the tight or dominant muscles you would need to strengthen any weak partner or opposing muscles. I can't tell you what needs strengthening without a movement assessment but the deep core abdominals extending as far as the glutes (bottom and upper/ outer hip) are often weak. Balance work using tools like a Swiss ball, Flexibar, BoSu or even the trusty foam roller (multi functional!) can be done at home or a good quality Pilates DVD or better still a good Pilates class. I highly rate Cherry Baker's Modern Pilates, their workshops for professionals are truly superb and they have physiotherapists on the team. There is Standing Pilates and a Foam Roller DVD in the series IIRC which will be more functional (directly applicable to walking and running biomechanics) than doing all traditional matwork.

Flexibar is more of a financial investment but they are seriously good tools if you can afford it (no worries if not, stick to the foam roller, Pilates and chi running) and convenient for storage. Please DO NOT purchase a knock off bar, this is one of the few times you need an original even if second hand from eBay. I bought a bar the first time I tried it at a fitness weekend, within a few sessions my niggling back pain had gone and I could feel my core functioning better. Later I trained to use it with clients and had great results there too. There is some research backing it if you look on the website, tho many of the published studies are in German language so not yet been translated. Like Cherry Baker and her team, the Flexibar crew have physiotherapists on staff.

All this does assume you are otherwise fully healthy, have been professionally diagnosed with shin splints (although technically it's not a single diagnosis but a group of related conditions), and have been cleared to exercise by your doctor.

Fire_Fox

gleek1 wrote: »

Firefox - interesting about not knowing you are knotted just because you don't feel pain. The number of massages where I have had some release from areas I didn't know hurt..!!! Do you have any good stretches for the peroneals and for the plantar fascia? They are the 2 places that when i try to do anything like massage myself they just go straight into spasm. They also tend to go into cramp even when not doing massage - could do with stretching them out, but I don't know if what I am doing is effective. For the peroneals I basically twist my foot outwards - that is the only way i have found to isolate them. Thing is that that tends to send me into cramp...!!

I think most people are guilty of not looking after their own bodies properly - I need to start practicing what I preach.!!

My body is a mess and that's even after a lot of work and qualifications, I am one huge knot. My standing posture is pretty decent, a little lordosis and 'chin poke' but when I do an overhead squat ... the knees are good because I know how to squat, but my feet and the whole upper body is a disaster and left and right are out of whack. I really need a physio to sort out my shoulders, my range of movement is appalling.

I sometimes get cramp in the IT band/ lateral quad from SMR because the pain makes me tense up involuntarily, the knots are so ingrained. Sounds strange but review your diet to reduce cramps: be sure you are getting the right mineral balance especially plenty of magnesium which is key in muscle relaxation (calcium is involved in contraction), low in the average diet and easily sweated out. Also look at the potassium-sodium balance.

If you are twisting your foot out (pronating) that is activating the peroneals strongly, you want the exact opposite. That makes it easy to locate the muscle but you can't effectively massage nor release trigger points in a consciously tensed muscle. It's not easy to static stretch the peroneals, massage is better have you tried foam rolling or using a massage stick when the leg and foot are fully relaxed? Even if you are sitting in a chair some of the muscles will be activated so you might want to be lying on a bed or mat. Try doing your SMR before a workout not after when everything is tired, tensed and inflamed.

elantan

Fire fox can i pm you?

which flexi bar would you recommend? i see an athletic one , an intensive one, and a sport one ... i have seen the flexi bar before and was interested in them

gleek1

Eletan - I don't think you are doing everything wrong. And I certainly don't want to discourage you. I just think that if you are hurt so early in the plan then it is imperative that you figure a way to maintain your health.

Where are you? I hear you talking about a corbett. Are you in Scotland? Whereabouts? Maybe I can help regarding good running shops/running groups - or even come out with you sometime to keep the motivation up?

Firefox sounds like she is the real expert - I am just a very keen enthusiast who has a problem with pretty much every muscle group in the lower body and who has forked out too much in physio and massage! But I will help if I can. Firefox - please chip in if you disagree or would like to add anything..!!

First of all the shoes - please ditch the 5 fingers - but I think we have convinced you about that.
Perhaps go to a different running shop to check your shoes are ok. a good running shop will be happy to do this as they know that their honesty will make you come back next time!

Take time to warm up at the start of each run - I don't do this specifically, I am going to be honest - I just take my first mile really slowly. But I think it is important to do so and as you get fitter it will take longer to warm up. A very brisk 5-8 min walk will be good at this stage - get really out of breath at a speed where you think it would be more comfy to run. I had a trainer who recommended doing hip circles and knee circles when warmed up to mobilise the joints. Firefox - is this worth it?

Do your session. The c25K plan is good. Just remember and take rest days. I cannot run more than 3 times a week. No matter how fit I am, when I start running for 4 for a couple of weeks I get hurt. Rest is important. You need a day in between, especialy if you are injury prone. Be conservative and LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. This is the biggest piece of advice as this will keep you right!

As for technique, try not to carry tension in your shoulders - I am very guilty for that at it does hurt and affect your gait sometimes. Don't overstride, but don't force a particular technique - LISTEN TO YOUR BODY and do what feels good!

Try to stretch when you have finished - again, most runners are bad for this. Focus on your hip flexors, your quads, your calves and your shins but if your shoulder are tight from carrying tension then stretch them too

Lots of runners have weak glutes and to be honest, most people do - they don't walk from then bum but walk using the hamstring. This should help activate your backside a bit. Every day do donkey kicks on all 4s 10 kicks each side to begin x3. Then bridge 2 legged bridge to start then one legged bridge. Try to keep core tight and body in a straight line . Try to lift each vertebra up one at at time - peeling off the floor - then same back down in reverse from spine to bottom going on floor. Do 10-15 times.

On one rest day maybe cross train - do something low impact - cycle, climb, swim - something you enjoy. Incorporate some core work here too. I would aim for 2 more core sessions a week. I mentioned them in an earlier post.

Plank, bicycle crunches, leg raises, swimmer, russian twists, push ups there are loads. I do some core every day. Firefox should have some insight, but one thing i find is that doing leg raises Russin twists and the sit ups where you pull your knees up to your chest as you rise, my hip flexors at my groin hurt.. Firefox how do you prevent this? Is this really hip flexors, or psoas, or something else?

You seem to have done lots of sport and cardiovascularly arefit. Unfortunately this means that you are probably at higher risk of injury because the temptation is to do do much.

I don't konw if overdeveloped calves can contribute to shin pain - again ask FireFox, becuase I also have this problem too - reallly really chunky but muscular calves- can see all three muscles really well. But they are really short and stubby - not long and lean. This might make us more prone to some injuries.

Is this making sense? FireFox - I really hope you are reading this and can chip in.

elantan

hi Gleek, yep i do live in central scotland more west coast, down from glasgow if thats any help ?

i will take on board everything you have both said, i know that atleast i am trying to do my best with running not just saying och i'm gonna take up running and then go for a run without getting some sort of a clue ( obvioulsy not enough of a clue though lol)

i will start a warm up tonight and maybe try day one again of the c25k, i'll be honest when i have ran for a minute i could keep running a wee bit more ... not alot more but a wee bit more, i do try and keep busy as much as possible so although i am very overweight and i am unhealthy i do try when i can

i will only be doing the running 3 times a week as i dont want to injure myself, so i will have to find something else to do on the other days, i have a meidicine ball and some weights as well as a rebounder so i will try and incorporate something into a plan there

i do tend to go quite stiff in my shoulders tbh, possibly due to the car accident which resulted in me having a frozen shoulder and having to give up the rock climbing and ju-jit-su and badminton so will work on that,

thanks again Fire fox and Gleek

elantan

Fire_Fox wrote: »

If you are twisting your foot out (pronating) that is activating the peroneals strongly, you want the exact opposite. .

i do do this,with my right foot, i have always put it down to my right leg being longer than my left leg, i do this even when i am walking, is there a way i can correct this? is it a case of concentrating and watching what i am doing ?

gleek1

Don't run tonight if you are sore at all - please don't it is not worth it. Do some core work instead - that can get your remarkably out of breath. No running, no jumping till you are pain free. It will only get worse - that I can promise you!!

Where did you get your shoes? I have had very very mixed experiences with Run4It in all their stores I haven't been, but I have heard very very good things about Achillies heel.

I work in Edinburgh and am from S Lanarkshire. Will pm you the town later. My running shop is is Edinburgh - footworks at snowlines. They are into bf running too, but they are very responsible and knowledgeable. I have physio in-law who works at a hospital in Glasgow but he does private practice in the evenings. I can pm you their details. I have seen him once and they are good - I wouldn't just say that - they run are quite conservative in their treatment - i.e. lots of exercises!!!

I can recommend loads of places in Fife and Ed for physio/massage if you are willing to travel:-)

Fire_Fox

elantan wrote: »

Fire fox can i pm you?

which flexi bar would you recommend? i see an athletic one , an intensive one, and a sport one ... i have seen the flexi bar before and was interested in them

Yes of course. Oooh they have another level since I last ordered. You just want the basic ('Sport') which was originally in red it's plenty intense enough. The all black is evil, really for men and very strong women. You will want a DVD or two tho, so this is probably not the best source, it's all changed grrrr wonder if Rebecca and Steve have gone back to Oz.
http://www.sport-thieme.co.uk/Fitness/Schwingstab_Flexi-Bar_XCO/art=2009908

You used to be able to get Training Plan 1 free with a bar, worth checking Amazon and eBay. Looks like there are second hand DVDs on Amazon for cheap and second hand bars with DVD on eBay. Ask where they got it: if they say Ideal World shopping channel and they have the proper DVD there is every chance it's not a knock off. Most of the knock offs look slightly different anyway AFAIK they are imitations not out and out fakes.