Shin Splints. The term itself sounds painful. And that's not far from the truth either. An exact definition can be found on wikipedia:
Shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) refers to pain along or just behind the tibia (shinbone), the large bone in the front of the lower leg. Shin splints occur during physical activity and result from too much force on the shinbone and connective tissue attaching muscles to it. Shin splints are common in runners and in those who participate in activities with sudden stops and starts, such as football, basketball, soccer or tennis, along with sports that apply extreme pressure to the legs, such as gymnastics. Ten to fifteen percent of running injuries are shin splints.
From the looks of it (via self-diagnosis), my case isn't too bad. Ignoring it and continuing training crossed my mind, but that has never led to anything good. Besides, it's pretty painful. Hard to not feel pain!
So this past Saturday, I decided not to do my long run, and just take it easy... and sleep in for once :) Resting for the remainder of this week is also on the agenda.
Factors for the shin splint:
1. Running on uneven surfaces
2. A minor bruise on my shin from my warrior dash (it's not even purple...)
3. Tight Achilles and calf muscles (need more stretching before and after runs)
4. Over training (perhaps reduce my milage on my weekly runs)
5. Combination of all 4 factors
Training should resume next Monday. Right now, shin is feeling pretty happy. I hope it remains so when I get back on the running field :P
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