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Hi Sarah,

I have focussed pain on my tibia a couple of inches up from my ankle. It's been a problem since mid Decemeber. The physio told me to reduce my running and to do some strength exercises, but it isn't working. Any advice?

Thanks

This sounds very like the problem I'm currently experiencing. I have a small painful point on the inside of my shin bone a couple of inches above the ankle. There is a small gristly lump there, which is tender to the touch. I went to see a physio, who told me it was medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). The lump may be scar tissue and should pass. I was given some exercises to strenghten / rebalance both legs. I've had this issue since middle of December and it keeps coming back. Good luck

The Physio massaged the area with what I guess was some sort of ultrasound device. It wasn't attached to a monitor, so wasn't a scan, but she said that if I had had a SF I would have 'been on the ceiling' (i.e. it would have hurt a lot).

Although the Physio didn't check my running style, I have had an analysis done before Christmas and was told that I do heel strike in front of my centre of gravity. I've been trying to shorten my stride and increase my cadence on the treadmill (using a metronome app on my phone). Been doing some cross training (cycling and eliptical thingy) in addition to the strength exercises. I think deep down I know that I should defer, but as I don't have to do so right now, I will give it a bit longer and see how things go. I still feel like my general fitness is pretty good and that if I could get past this injury, it would be possible to get back on track with my training plan (which I was ahead of before this all happened). But if not, I'll defer and maybe look for an event later in the year (if anyone wants to recommend a good one around September as a plan B, that would be great).

Thanks so much for the responses.

Six Physio wrote (see)

.....did your Physio actually look at you running and then relate your injury to your running stylee?

She didn't. I was asked to do some exercises (single leg squats, single leg bridges etc) and was told that I have an 'imbalance', in that my right leg is weaker than my left. I believe the soleus (?) muscle was specifically identified. Have been advised to do several exercises to strenthen / balance the muscles including those mentioned above + calf raises and leg presses, as well as decreasing my running and adding more cross training.

Thanks for your replies. I'll give it another week and see where I am. I'm hoping that I may still be able to recover and pick things up, although I recognise this is probably wishful thinking at this stage - but I'm not quite ready to give up on my 2013 aspirations just yet.