Thread by @arthaey

So I asked a bunch of runners here and at work for advice about my shin splints that started immediately with the #C25k program.

Keep in mind that I hadn't run since PE class back in high school.

There were some commonalities to their advice:

1. your feet should land under your body, not in front of you

2. stand up straight as you run, don't lean forward so much

3. get real running shoes, not my Goodwill tennis shoes ;)

#C25k #runningadvice

And the universal comment:

4. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY RUNNING INJURY, HA HA I WISH I'D SEEN A PHYSICAL THERAPIST RIGHT AWAY. INSTEAD I PUSHED THROUGH THE PAIN LIKE AN ENTHUSIASTIC FOOL AND COULDN'T RUN FOR WEEKS/MONTHS. #C25k #runningadvice

I'm a cautious person by nature (or maybe nuture). I like to investigate new things. I like to gather opinions of those who've gone before. I like to consult experts. I avoid pain.

So in the middle of week 2 of #C25k, I went to see a physical therapist for shin splints. :P

I fully expected them to tell me it was just 'cause I was out of shape, this was normal beginner's pain. Oh, and also that my form was shit.

I was right on one of those counts! #C25k

Turns out that with the adjustments to my foot landing under my body, standing up straighter, and keeping my head up and looking forward, my form was actually okay. So thanks for the advice, runner peeps! #C25k

The physical therapist had me do a couple "tests": two-legged squats (did fine, thanks CrossFit trainer!), one-legged squats (surprised the trainer with how bad it was!), hops, and jogging up & down the hallway. #C25k

Then she tested my muscle strength. She pushed on my legs in various directions while I resisted the force. I'm fine for front-and-back forces using the largest muscles of my legs. Cool beans. #C25k

But then she tested how well I could resist sideways forces

HA HA HA.

My hip muscles are LAUGHABLY weak. Source: physical therapist literally laughed. 🤣 #C25k

Apparently hip muscles are important to things like keeping your feet & knees aligned as you run, and for placing them were you intend to. As opposed to wobbling all over the place and putting bad twisty forces your joints. #C25k

I told her I had no knee pain now, which is good. She warned me that if I increased my weekly mileage too fast, I would develop knee pain and/or other injuries. I believe her! #C25k

I told her my current mileage is around 3-6 miles per week, and that's slow jogging alternating with walking. I've got zero ego here, I'm happy to redo #C25k weeks instead of "progressing" every week if I need to.

She seemed surprised that I was happy to do such low mileage, and pleased that I would comply with her suggestion to keep progress slow.

Hey, any exercise is more than the zero exercise I was doing before. This IS still progress for me! :) #C25k

She gave me a few daily exercises to address my laughably weak muscles:

1. side steps
2. ankle dorsiflexsion
3. lateral step down

#C25k

She said that if the shin splints get worse, or don't go away after 1-2 months of these exercises plus low-mileage running, I should come back in. #C25k

So long story short: I'm cleared to keep doing my slow progression with #C25k, shin splints are very common in beginners and aren't necessarily scary, and oh man do I need to strengthen a few muscles. ;)