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burning muscle in lower front leg.
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calico
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 1:03 pm    Post subject: burning muscle in lower front leg. Reply with quote

Confused Hi there.. I have been running for about a year and a half. I am trying to increase the intensity of my runs by increasing the speed, mostly in intervals. What i notice is that whenever i try to do that i get a burning sensation in one of my lower legs in the front above the ankle. I had this problem a while back and stopped running for a while to see if it would go away. It's fine as long as i don't try to increase my speed. What exercises can i do to alleviate that . I put a weight on my foot and lifted it up and down to see if by strengthening the shin area muscle would make it better. Is this a good idea. I really enjoy running and am getting frustrated because i want to be able to go farther quicker can anyone suggest any ideas that may help me?
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Dan
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't think what that would be in that area other than possibly a stress fracture. Have you had it checked out?

As for exercises, I would give rotations a try instead of just up/down, but any such thing is directed at the ankle itself and may not have much impact on the bone above it...

Dan
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calico
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 3:17 pm    Post subject: pain in leg Reply with quote

actually the pain is not in the bone..its the muscle that runs along the front of the leg. i did talk to my doctor about it a while back and he said it's a shin splint. so how do i avoid those.. its almost like i lose feeling in my lower leg and my foot just kinda gets numb after a while and slaps down on its own.. wierd...

thanks again..
cyndi
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Dan
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How far up from the ankle is it?

Dan
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calico
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 3:56 pm    Post subject: pain in lower leg Reply with quote

its about 5 inches or so.. sort of off to the side more.. i read somewhere that if i keep my heel on the floor and tap my foot fast that would help .. but it didnt.. actually if you try that and you get a burn that is where my pain is located. .. it actually feels exactly like that when i'm running..

thanks again
cyndi
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Dan
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, that makes more sense. I guess you did specify muscle in the subject, but your description through me off...

Quote:
i read somewhere that if i keep my heel on the floor and tap my foot fast that would help ..

For how many times I've seen that and heel walking recommended, it never ceases to amaze me that I've never once heard of either one working... In most cases, they actually make shin splints much worse. Sad

There's only one thing I know of that addresses shin splints (which it sounds like is what you have), and it does so exceptionally well:

http://run-down.com/tips/tips3.php

Dan
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks i am gonna try that.. i dont have any tubing but i do have a dyna band.. hopefully it will work.. did it work for others as well?
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Dan
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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did it work for others as well?

With near 100% success! I had all my sprinters doing the exercises from the start of the season last year, and hardly anyone reported shin soreness throughout the season.

I've recommended the exercise to a lot of people over the years. Most people disregard it or try it for a day or two and give up, but the few who take it to heart and stick to the "program" are shocked at how ridiculously easy it is to get rid of shin splints. We're so ingrained with the notion that something is actually physically wrong when we experience pain that few people are willing to actually make an effort to correct it. The comforting familiarity of pain...

Dan
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

May I add that increased intensity means that some muscles are getting worked more than others. One of the challenges of sprinting is that your body never stays the same and you can feel the way the parts interact. My guess is that you've been driving your leg harder and that's temporarily imbalanced things. Since it hurts in the classic shin splint position in front, I assume you've been pushing your stride out and pulling back hard. If you were too high on the toes - unless you're running uphill - it would tend to hurt more in back, either in the middle or low at the tendon.

One simple exercise is to put a weight on your foot - can balance if you want - and then raise and lower it with your foot only. That works the front muscles along the shin gently and helps them develop.

I would also consider concentrating more on increasing frequency for a little while. Smooth out your turnover and then move back to developing power when your body is less burnt on the concept.

I just watched the Boston Marathon for some hours. The most interesting thing to me is how deceptive the runners are as times rise; with the exception of the Kenyan runners taking gigantic strides, the main difference was a subtle but continuous drop off in stride frequency. Most runners aren't quick. Some are only quick with no power - me more and more as I age - but you need to be both to be good.

My attitude has always been that the aerobic engine (breathing) can run continuously and only needs to be trained to run at a high level, but the anaerobic (muscle) engine of power has a limited store of energy. In training, even for sprints, you have to balance the two by switching between power (mostly drive and extension) and frequency (turnover in the air and the shortest possible length of footstrike).
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good observations, but the biggest challenge for athletes and coaches alike seems to be the question of how to develop stride frequency. I know it can be developed some through various drills, exercises, and general repetition, but it seems to be largely an innate ability that can only be overcome to a certain extent.

Dan
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baby t
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PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2003 2:18 pm    Post subject: shin splints or leg pain Reply with quote

shin splints are simply when the muslce pulls away from the bone and happens eaisly. If it is constant sore pain I have heard it can be something more serious Razz
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