ache in right shin

i've run on and off for a few years now but only recently have i started to do it more regularly
i've picked up an ache just on the inside of my lower shin bone, and i can't seem to get rid of it, when it feels like it's gone, after a run or during a run it appears again
it doesn't feel muscular as i can only feel it when i put weight on my leg
should i see a gp, sports physio, or just rest, any help would be appreciated

regards
andy

The worst it could be is a stress fracture which is associated with a sudden increase in training. If unattended it can be serious.

If it feels like its getting progressively worse then you need to get it medically attended to. Best route is probably your GP who will then probably refer you for an x-ray.

Could be that that part of the shin bone is being stressed by your gait when you run - with the muscles 'pulling' it constantly in the same place - which could lead to a stress fracture. I've almost got rid of my life long shin splints - 80% of which were due to my knees not extending properly - but the other 20% were identical to how you've described and were happening on what turned out to be the leg which was 'apparently' shorter than the other (its not - my pelvis is twisted - but the effect's the same). Orthotics with a heel raise on the right leg so far have sorted this out - and I'm doing 30 miles / week for the first time without shin pain( my quads are a different story tho!)

Try putting a heel insert or even two under the heel of the right foot and see if that helps - it worked pretty quickly for me.

A biomechanical video gait analysis is the only option to really see what's happening - if you live near Manchester you can get one done cheaply at Salford University School of Podiatry.

Good Luck

Hi Spam, have you looked at the Shin-splints & Tibial periositis sections in the injuries section of this website? There is some quite useful info there (although both sections seem to describe exactly the same injury). Many runners (including myself) get these problems, especially when new to running, or increasing the amount of running. Although you have to be careful that you don't have/get stress fractures, you may well find that by running off-road, and icing the area post-runs, that you can run through it. Stability running shoes are a must too, as it is excessive pronation that causes overworking of the tibialis posterior muscle that is often the problem.

If it doesn't improve, do see an expert!
Good luck.

thanks for the replies, i also had a read through all those articles, cheers

i'm gonna go and see my gp, but in the meantime, basically i need to rest, but while i'm resting can i still go into the gym and use the bikes, rowing machines and cross trainers?

regards
andy

Anything non-impact should be fine, unless it feels painful.

You can keep your fitness up - and even improve it - by cross training in the gym. I ended up doing the FLM (really slowly) one just one run a week - round and round a playing field for 3 hours - plus loads of cross training. Mind you - completion was my aim - not a set time or anything!

To support what Shattered Shins is saying, I had to stop running for 4mths due to knee injury this spring/summer, but was able to swim and later cycle before managing to run again. Following this, I'd only been running again for 3 weeks when I raced for my club in a interclub event, and was almost as quick as normal (30.03 for a hilly 5m when my previous best was only 28 something on a flat course!). For me X-training works very well. Just work as hard at the new exercise as you do at running.