I’m coming around to some slow acceptance of shin splints being a Fact if Life — running can be hard, running on hard surfaces can be very hard on the body of the non bionic kind. In a recent comment, John wrote:

I am a physical therapist and found your shin splint troubles quite interesting. I’m sure many folks have thrown in their two cents about how to care for your shin splints, so I hope you don’t mind if I do.

I’ve treated many cases of shin splints with traditional PT techniques - heat, ultrasound, electric stimulation, stretching, strengthening, etc. - and have had little success in having patients return to their sport without eventually having their pain return. I have, however, had great success using orthotics to correct the mechanics of the foot, which in turn takes care of the shin splints.

That pretty much describes my experience the last few weeks with Physical Therapy, which utilized all those methods. it brought some relief (when not running), but with just a few runs, the pain was right back where it was before. I really appreciate the care and attention at Foothills Sports Clinic, the folks there are great, and I was told at the beginning that orthotics might be something to consider. But having paid for half of the PT out of pocket (til I met my deductible) and the time it was taking away from work and other things I need to attend to, I am backing off from it and re-evaluating.

Maybe a switch to other activities is a better idea- biking, swimming? Maybe just more time. I’ve heard and read just about every suggestion under the sun, and then some. My new doctor strongly recommends icing before running — she says it will not cure the problem, but allow me perhaps to go a bit further before the pain returns.

To be continued? remains to be seen.

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This morning was one of those prime conditions mornings for running; Spring is in gear enough for daylight at 6:00am, the temps are still cool. So it was time to test out the gimp leg again for a gentle run, maybe the 2nd in 5 months.

I has a bit leery since I was feeling a slight stiffness in the left shin after Saturday’s run, pretty much the pattern I cycled through last fall when the nonsense started — run, shin pain crops up next day — wait a few days — repeat.

So this being a test run again, I had little expectations. My wife and I walked the dog over to the park for my walking stretch, and I set out for a slow ganter round the fields and lake, about 1.7 miles in all. It was throbbing slightly when I started, but it seemed like maybe it just needed some movement, and really was not a bother.

So the title of this entry is in reference to my music on the iPod — JJ Cale singing They Call Me The Breeze.

There might have been some theme of rejection in this shuffle set since I also heard Joe Cocker’s The Letter, another JJ Cale The Woman that Got Away, and at the end the beginning of CCR’s marathon version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine. (No worries, all is fine on the relationship front!).

One step at a time. One run at a time.

But I find myself thinking of creating a new web site called I Love Bicycling.

I am back! Not with any great triumph, but I ran for the first time really since December, without any pain (yet) in the shins. It was slow, but the day was glorious up here in Strawberry, and I did a run/jog west on Fossil Creek Road to the historic Strawberry School House and back.

Me in front of the school house

Now that my legs are back in school, just need to bring the lungs along slowly.

Am resting with ice now

The progress of physical therapy goes slow, but it seems to be… progressing. Taking a 2 hour chunk twice a week has been nibbling a bit much at my work schedule (fortunately with working from home, and the clinic I go to is a 5 minute drive, I am lucky). The work on the leg muscles and assorted exercises seems to have lessened all pain in the shin, and I’m just left with some slight tightness below the knee. They keep saying my left leg muscles are way tighter than my right, forcing the knee to move a bit off normal path. I have been doing daily stretches to loosen the legs up, learning a few new ones (I-band stretches, etc)

Yesterday Andy suggested I slowly get back into running, with more easing int by stretch, walking 1/4 to 1/2 mile and then run, and repeat in reverse. Hope to maybe put the shoes back in tomorrow, anxious to see how it goes.

One step at a time.