Anybody else ever suffer shin splints after doing longish distances?

Yesterday after scoring a distance PB at Primbee (Lake Illawarra), where you easily do nautical miles on single tack, I suffered a terrible evening of shin splint pain. It's not the first time but only ever occurs after sailing Primbee.

I'm not the youngest sailor out there, and don't get out all that often, but I do consider myself reasonably fit for my age (gym and cycle 5 days a week).

If anybody else has come across the same problem, would they care to share any comments on preventative and post sailing advice to avoid the pain.

Carbon board?

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mineral1 said..

Carbon board?

Yes this time - but it has also occurred (not as bad) with a Wood FSW (edit: and it was pretty smooth yesterday)

Yep had this before.
But i swapped my front straps to kite straps wuch are wider so I didnt have to curl my toes as much to stay in the straps.
Fixed the problem instantly.

[edit] www.kiteaddiction.com.au/gear/accessories/bindings?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=404&category_id=21

these are the ones i used. Cheapest footstraps you will ever buy!

Maybe see a physio to get exercises to strengthen your shin (not sure of the technical name) muscle.

overfinned so you are curling toes up to counteract the board railing
straps too large leading to above
straps not outboard enough (relative to everything else)


just thoughts..

Definitely not overfinned - we were on 60cm wide iSonics with 20cm Delta fins. The water was amazingly smooth (even Sandy Point smooth right in close next to the weed bank)

Dave, does it feel like it in the bones or muscle?

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shear tip said..

Definitely not overfinned - we were on 60cm wide iSonics with 20cm Delta fins. The water was amazingly smooth (even Sandy Point smooth right in close next to the weed bank)

Dave, does it feel like it in the bones or muscle?

My Delta was a 19 Mike - Pain is now just in the calfs - but last night in the muscle along side the shin bone and feet were cramping from my instep my toes.

Hmmm, I was getting sore calves yesterday too when we were in those "just planing" lulls. I wonder if we were underfinned and trying to keep the board flat and not digging in the windward rail?

Left field I know - 'only ever occurs after sailing at Primbee'. Maybe that equals only ever occurs after sailing with deltas?

Assuming your diagnosis of "Shin Splints" (MTSS=Medial Tibia Stress Syndrome) is correct, a highly recommended exercise is a soleus muscle stretch.

Place the top part (1/3) of your foot on a telephone book (or raised surface around 40-50mm) and move your knee forward while keeping your heel on the ground so that you stretch the lower calf muscle that connects to the achilles tendon (ie. the soleus).

Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.

Do this a few times a day.

Worked for me, even though my MTSS was caused by too much running (it's a very common runners overuse injury).

Cheers

^^^ agree. that's the exact exercise my physio prescribed for my shin splints.
works well if you keep up with the stretches

Also - strap legs. I used to get shin splints when I played footy... wore 2 pairs of tight socks and the issue soon disappeared.

Thanks all for your advice - I will take a lot of it onboard and definitely add the Albers exercise/stretch to my regime after Gym and Cycling, had been doing a similar stretch but in reverse (where I support the ball of my foot and hang my heel).

The over fin issue I had considered this as I am aware this can be a symptom - but i have dismissed it due to size of the fins I at Primbee.

The Delta fin issue I have also dismissed as I have done some reasonable distance at Canton on the same fin with no shin issue.

I had a tight wetsuit on and consider that equiv. to 2 pair of tight socks.

mmm. undefined? can this have the same affect in reverse? could try the 17 next time.

Anyway feeling much better this morning - just finished walking the dog and doing some stretches.

i used to get really sore shins, front leg, i think its sailing underpowered, bringing that front foot into play, heel pushing through rail, toes curling up, its def not an issue exclusive to delta fins, also i think all front leg problems, eg sore shin, foot falling out of strap can usually be fixed by re blancing boom hieght, harness line postition and length, i think thats the root of the problem, being unbalanced from the harness lines bringing front foot into play too much, I used to think it was just because front strap was too big, but no, my front strap is still loosish, and i dont get that pain anymore, again i think its from sailing underpowered or un balanced,,,, you guys had a great session the other day, well done men, great speed and distances, well done on the pbs, ha, and all that with a sore shin, nice one, c ya soon

I'm suffering the same thing now. legs are so sore up the front next to shin bone, some people don't get it
& some just sail with it & say u will get used to it. I'm thinking its boom height, I going to try dropping boom & longer lines
may do the trick next time.

This is not "shin splints" which is a condition that is often mistaken for any anterior (front) lower leg pain. True shin splints are micro fractures of the Tibia (main shin bone) often caused by repetitive impact - running & jumping. What you are describing is known as compartment syndrome of the Tibalis Anterior (muscle sitting laterally next to the "shin" bone) where the muscle compartment gets inflamed as a result of overuse - typically repetitive eccentric loading where the muscle has to contract as it lengthens under big loads. You can ice this in the acute phase (first 24 hours) and apply compression but never massage, heat or continue to use it.

Any sailing set-up/condition where you find yourself having to pull your toes up off the board in the straps (known as dorsi-flexion) constantly/repetitively will this. Not sure how to prevent it but you must allow the muscle to recover. Once the muscle starts to become less painful to use/touch you can start do some simple stretches (look up tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus stretches) to relieve the tension but prevention is best - work out why you are getting this. Anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen) will help in the acute phase.

Dave I think that hill over at kanahooka has something to do with it, I swear on the southern end of the lake the wind was wsw and the primbee end it was wnw , I was battleing to make it to windward on both tacks , as mike mentioned you were probabley under powered and under finned(although nice PB) , I was on a 7.2 and a 20cm and a reasonably narrow board and still stuggleing at times

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Belly25 said..

This is not "shin splints" which is a condition that is often mistaken for any anterior (front) lower leg pain. True shin splints are micro fractures of the Tibia (main shin bone) often caused by repetitive impact - running & jumping. What you are describing is known as compartment syndrome of the Tibalis Anterior (muscle sitting laterally next to the "shin" bone) where the muscle compartment gets inflamed as a result of overuse - typically repetitive eccentric loading where the muscle has to contract as it lengthens under big loads. You can ice this in the acute phase (first 24 hours) and apply compression but never massage, heat or continue to use it.

Any sailing set-up/condition where you find yourself having to pull your toes up off the board in the straps (known as dorsi-flexion) constantly/repetitively will this. Not sure how to prevent it but you must allow the muscle to recover. Once the muscle starts to become less painful to use/touch you can start do some simple stretches (look up tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus stretches) to relieve the tension but prevention is best - work out why you are getting this. Anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen) will help in the acute phase.

Thanks Belly25
That's a great explanation - I always thought I my suffering was more a fatigue issue but too ignorant to know there was a difference, I have obviously miss diagnosed myself, and will enquire about adding some strengthening of that area into my exercise regime.

Keith
I'm a pussy(what else can I say), since shedding near 20kgs (a year and a half ago) I find myself still guessing a correct sail size for the given conditions and I'm not as comfortable sailing powered up as I use to be.