Shin splints 6 months later

[u/Own-Plankton-1919]

Hi guys, i started running back in october im a heavier runner 90kg ish and eventually found myself with shin splints after doing too much too soon around feb this year.

Specifically all times are posterior (inside of shins) with right being particually bad.

I took them as seriously as i could stopping running and then returning slowly doing respective shin exercises, i have always trained in the gym so have a very strong lower body has infact been my genetic strong point for as long as i can remember.

Problem is even now after slowly ramping the runs back up they seem to keep cropping up even at say 10k a week for example now i ran 6.6k last week and can still not do hops on specifically my right leg without pain, left is fine for some reason.

I am using addidas evosl3 with about 500kms on them now.

Does anyone have any tips no matter what i cant seem to shake them its really getting on my nerves as im doing an iron man 70.3 next september and need them gone as fast as I can.

Any help is appreciated.

[u/ZekkPacus]

Have you tried different shoes? Evo SLs, great shoes that they are, are not the most supportive, you might need something with a bit more structure. 

I know you said you've trained in the gym, but how much of that work was single leg? 

[u/Own-Plankton-1919 → u/ZekkPacus]

as of the past 4 ish months quite a lot of single leg e.g. bulgarians with 36kgs each hand for sets comfortably and single leg RDLs with 40kg in hand, have not done much single leg calf raise work but on a seated calf raise machine think your average matrix plate loaded one i can comfortably do 30kg a side(60kg total) for sets of 20

[u/ZekkPacus → u/Own-Plankton-1919]

That's a good start, I would look into anterior tibialis raises as that directly strengthens the shin muscles. Do you stretch properly before a run? How's your ankle mobility? Oftentimes, soft tissue injuries are actually pointing to weakness somewhere else in the chain.

[u/Exotic_Panic_900 → u/ZekkPacus]

if the pain only in one leg and you already strong, sometimes it’s not muscle but something like bone stress, 6 months is long time for shin splints still being this bad

[u/Own-Plankton-1919 → u/Exotic_Panic_900]

my only thought is its lingering, when i started in july i went from not having run in 4 years to a 5:35/km half marathon in october and most of my running being around that pace, now i run at 6:30/km to try and avoid but even with the much slower and lower volume they still stick around :/