Shin Splints – Causes and Cures

Shin Splints are one of the most common causes of leg pain in runners.  As a result, they affect athletes in just about every sport that requires a lot of running – such as soccer, rugby and basketball.  The causes vary widely – some include stiff calf muscles, overdeveloped calf muscles, harsh running surfaces, excessive pronation (feet that roll “out”) and wearing the wrong shoes.  But treating this painful condition may be as easy as getting a head start on your training.

“Preseason conditioning may be the most effective measure in prevention, with a focus on building a solid base of flexibility and strength. Pay special attention to flexibility in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the calf. Strengthening the ankle dorsiflexor muscles (the muscles responsible for tilting the foot up at the ankle) will help to balance the muscles on the tibia. Preventing pronation of the feet through the use of arch-supporting insoles can also help.” –Michael Ross, M.D. Sports Medicine for Active.com

Dr. Ross has many more tips on preventing shin splints, including information on how calcium supplements and deep water running can help ease and prevent symptoms to flair up. Since shin splints are so common, KT Tape has been a life-saver for many to find relief and pave a path for a speedy shin splint recovery.

When working out and sweating, you probably don’t wear rubber pants or long sleeve flannels.  That wouldn’t make sense would it?  You need a material that suits the conditions and breathes.  The same holds true for kinesiology therapeutic tape.  Why apply a tape that doesn’t breathe or shifts once the sweat starts flowing?  Bad idea.  And the designers of KT Tape had that in mind.

KT Tape, once applied, will not shift due to sweat and can even be worn while swimming or in the shower.  Unlike regular athletic tape, which is removed after the activity if finished, KT Tape will stay in place for up to five days.  At the same time, this is not just “tape.” KT Tape is designed and used  for pain relief and support without restricting motion, all while enhancing athletic performance.  So, when you think about choosing athletic wear that moves well and breathes well, don’t forget to think about which tape to choose too!

• discoloration of the skin at the site of the injection
• bacterial infections at the site, atrophy (shrinking of the skin)
• blood vessels bursting in the skin or muscle resulting in bleeding at the site
• and a reaction of the medication which results in an aggravation of the inflammation rather than relief.

It is also possible for the tendons to be weakened by the shot, and in rare cases, a rupturing of the tendon.

An alternative to cortisone shots is going drug-free with kinesiology therapeutic taping.  Not only will KT Tape relieve pain, but it will allow you to maintain the mobility you need to keep training.  Below is a testimony from a KT Tape customer that illustrates the choice for KT Tape over cortisone shots.

Almost two years ago I could barely lift my right arm without shooting, piercing pain. I was in the gray area for surgery and physical therapy so, against my ideals, I got a cortisone shot because the pain was just too much. Now it’s beginning to wear off and is taking the sport I love the most, volleyball, with it. I’m 27 and can barely sleep at night because of throbbing pain in my shoulder.Long story short, I eventually tried KT Tape and was completely PAIN FREE for two months! Recently, I was invited to play in a women’s national tournament this May in AZ and because of KT Tape I can do just that.  –Sue Carignan

In the words of the younger generation, “nuff said.”

Though you’re not putting yourself at risk of frostbite, USA Today recently ran an article citing the dangers involved with indoor exercise. Think about it–who hasn’t been thrown from a treadmill running at 10-mph? The article says, “People who hurt themselves with traditional exercise equipment or new exercise games make similar mistakes, experts say: They ignore or forget basic safety instructions or just plain overdo it.”
But consider this: In 2008, nearly 1,500 people found themselves in U.S. emergency rooms after run-ins with treadmills, weights, elliptical machines and other exercise equipment, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. And those were just the reported cases. The real number probably is closer to 50,000, the agency says.
The USA Today article goes on to give some indoor exercise safety tips:

“It should be noted that the Wii system comes with warnings to take breaks, secure the remote with a wrist strap and stay clear of furniture and other people. Still, fear of finding yourself immortalized in the medical literature might be enough to make you stick to traditional exercise gear.Take treadmills. Rule 1 is to straddle the machine, turn it on at low speed, then step on. But people turn themselves into flying objects by stepping on first, then starting the motor, says Michael Bracko, a sports physiologist in Calgary.Also common: Treadmill users so engrossed in TV, reading, phone conversations or texting that they get off pace and trip, says Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise. People who get hurt with weights often are not exercising at all, Bracko says. They are carelessly moving weights to or from the floor or a rack when they strain a muscle or drop a weight on a foot.”

Strained muscle? KT Tape’s got the solution for that! Check out all the different taping methods for a plethora of indoor exercise caused injuries.

To read the whole USA Today article head to the following article.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2010-02-22-yourhealth22_ST_N.htm

1. Dress for the Occasion-Obviously a “duh” statement, but dressing appropriately will make or break any cold weather ride.

Layering clothing is the most effective way to combat cold and wet conditions and rapidly changing temperatures.

Three layers tend to work best in winter conditions: Start with a snug base layer made from a wicking material, such as polypropylene, wool, silk, or a synthetic product such as Thinsulate. This layer will help move moisture away from your skin quickly to reduce the evaporative cooling effect that sweating has on your body.

Your second layer is your insulator; it should be slightly looser than your base layer to trap air near the skin. This trapped air is warmed by your body and remains there to help keep you warm. The insulating layer can be made of a variety of materials depending on weather conditions: synthetics, wool, fleece and down all work well.

Finally, choose an outer shell that incorporates a wind-blocking and water-resistant material.

Your extremities regulate temperature poorly, which is why hands and feet are often the first to get cold; thus, they need some special attention. A variety of different thicknesses and types of gloves, booties, toe-covers and arm and leg warmers may be necessary to accommodate all weather conditions. As you know, an uncovered head is a big source of heat loss. Wear an insulated skullcap underneath your helmet.

Warm Up from the Inside Out

While an appropriate warm-up is important year-round, warming up is especially vital in cold weather. Muscles, tendons and ligaments need significant blood supply to function properly; however, cold temperatures have a constricting effect on your vessels and arteries, which can limit the flow of blood to the areas that need it.

Your winter warm-up should be a little longer than normal in order to give those tissues enough time to heat up and receive adequate blood flow. If you normally spend 15 minutes warming up, boost that to 20 to 25 minutes.

Feed your Body

No matter how appropriately you dress, your body is still going to have to work harder than usual to maintain its core temperature. This means greater energy expenditure to perform the same amount of work. This increased energy expenditure means you’re going to bonk sooner than you would in warmer conditions if you don’t take in adequate calories. Make sure you’re taking in 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour for any ride over one hour.

It’s also common for athletes to think that drinking fluids isn’t as important as at other times of the year. However, if you’re dressed appropriately, you’re probably sweating nearly as much as you did last summer. Be sure to maintain adequate hydration while on the bike: one to two bottles per hour is a good place to start.

Weatherproof Your Bike

Winter doesn’t just bring cold weather; it also brings sloppy conditions. This means that your trusty ride is going to take a bit of a beating from snow, ice, salt and sand. Corroded chains and cables are very common and can lead to poor shifting and braking. Check them often and replace as needed.

Fenders will also help direct water and corrosive materials away from your bike. A regular bike-washing session can keep things running smoothly, possibly saving you money if you don’t have to replace your drive-train. Save your skinny, lightweight tires for the spring; invest in a heavy duty set of tires that will outlast winter road conditions.

Safety First

When the roads are snow- or ice-covered, a mountain or cyclocross bike may give you a little more stability than your road bike. If conditions are particularly nasty, studded tires (from companies such as Schwalbe and Nokian) can give you the traction you need.

Along with adverse weather conditions, winter also means less daylight. A set of lights for both the front and rear of your bike can help you extend your available riding time and keep you safer.

Finally, as always, be a defensive rider in traffic. Drivers may not be expecting to see a cyclist on the road in the winter, and road conditions can affect their control as much as yours.

Riding in adverse conditions can be a fun way to avoid the monotony of indoor training and will often leave you feeling stronger and tougher than if you did a similar workout inside. So dress appropriately, take care of your body and equipment and help maintain your sanity this winter by riding outdoors as often as you can.

should be made of a Gore-Tex or Windstopper-type material that’s both impervious to wind and exterior moisture, but still allows perspiration to escape to keep you dry.

Note from the editor: Meet Dana Casanave–a KT Tape fan who has begun a major undertaking for a great cause.  Read her amazing story and join us in cheering her on!

From Dana Casanave: My name is Dana Casanave and I’m a 29 year old wife, mother and runner from Leesburg, Virginia. This past month I began my extreme challenge to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks.

I am very passionate about running and in 2008 I ran the Marine Corps Marathon for the non-profit organization 25:40, whose mission is to help children in South Africa survive the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I ran for a little boy who had lost both of his parents to AIDS and it was the first time I ran a race for someone else. That race was a life changing event for me and I knew then that I wanted to find ways to use my running for something positive, to help others.

After training hard in 2009, I decided to take on the 52 in 52 challenge. I knew right away I wanted to partner with 25:40 again. As a mother of 3 children myself, I couldn’t imagine if my own children were left orphaned.  Many of the children 25:40 supports have lost or both parents to AIDS and sadly many are HIV+ themselves. 25:40 supports and fosters the creation of orphanages, health clinics, day care centers, school and other entities that are critical to the care and health development of children impacted by AIDS.

I’m calling this journey 52 Beginnings and each of my 52 races will be run for a different child in the Ngqeleni District in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. In 2009, 25:40 identified more than 1,500 children in this region as being orphaned or vulnerable to becoming orphaned. They are working on a multi-year program designed to meet the basic and most essential needs of each of these children. While I’m beginning these marathon races 52 times, I also hope to make a new beginning for each child I’m running for. You can see more about this journey at www.52beginnings.com

I know this year is going to bring a huge set of physical challenges and KT Tape will help get me through. In 2009, while training for my first 24 hour race I injured my Achilles. It was then that my physical therapist introduced me to KT Tape. Like many people I had seen it before on Olympic athletes, but had no idea what a difference it would make for my own running. The day before the race I got taped up with bright pink tape. I had serious doubts as to how well my Achilles would hold up to the hours of running ahead. All through the race people spotted my pink tape and would ask me, “what’s that all about?” I shared with them how KT Tape works to provide pain relief and stabilization. After awhile I started hearing “there’s the pink girl again.” I was amazed at how much of a difference the KT Tape made! I not only ran 82.5 miles that day, winning first place of the women, but I also had no Achilles pain whatsoever! The following day I went back to my physical therapist and instead of getting treatment for my Achilles, I had them work on my quads, which after running 20+ hours were anything but pain free. By the time they were finished I had tape just about everywhere on my legs. I’m sure I looked like someone had done crazy artwork on my legs, but I was hopeful that it would help like it had for my Achilles. Within 24 hours the improvement was astounding! I was walking normally and right back at work. It helped relive the swelling and soreness better than any other kind of treatment I have ever tried before!  So here’s to a year of marathons, and I’m sure a ton of funky KT Tape leg art. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Thanks so much, Dana, for what you do.

With a training schedule hindered by knee pain, Shannon was nervous about her first marathon. She tells us that KT Tape was able to turn a potentially miserable first marathon into a wonderful experience.

Since she was new to marathon running and had an injury, Shannon says she was a unprepared for the race. KT Tape enabled her to run full distance- pain-free; helping compensate for her poor race preparation. Shannon is so excited at the results that she’s already signed up for more races!

“I ran my first Marathon, the 2010 Disney! Never got further than 13 miles during training without knee pain, used a sample of KT Tape from my goodie bag for the Disney Marathon. Ran 26.2 miles with NO pain. Thank You. Because of KT Tape I am registered to run 2 1/2 marathons in the next 2 months”– Shannon Freeman

KT Tape has been able to help thousands of people just like Shannon. Injuries can slow any training schedule and discourage folks from signing up for future races or even completing their programs.

And that’s not all!  Rebecca spent the last four weeks in South America at a crazy-tough training and race camp. Here’s a quick run-down of what Reba’s been up to lately -

I finally returned home after a month at racing camp in the lakes district of Argentina and Chile. It was my first chance to take a winter cycling trip to this part of the world. It’s been great to ride and connect with the fantastic cycling community down here. I competed in the Trans Andes Challenge with Jenny Smith, a racer from New Zealand. The race was six days and we won the women’s division. Check out our daily race reports here:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/trans-andes-challenge-rebecca-rusch-and-jennifer-smith.

I had a 10-day break before my next race, so I had a chance to check out the local trails and meet some new friends. Next, was the Trans Andesed la Patagonia – a three-day stage race in the San Martin de los Andes area. I raced with  Heidi Volpe, a fellow racer and journalist, we placed 1st in the women’s open and 23rd overall. You can check out results from the tour here:

http://singletrack.competitor.com/

I had such a great time at camp/vacation, met some fun people and really had a chance to push myself. As usual, I used KT Tape to ease my aches and pains after days (and weeks!) on the trail. I also had a chance to tape up some fellow athletes at the races, particularly two-time Olympian Mary McConneloug, who sprained her ankle half-way through the Trans Andes. With the help of KT Tape, she went on to win the mixed division with her husband! The tape really has become part of my regular race kit and people are asking me about it a lot.  My EMT training is helpful and I’m coming across as an expert with the tape, but it’s really the cheat sheet that makes me seem educated!

So now that I’m back in the states, I’m busy working on my next project, the Mountain Town Movie Tour for the film Race Across the Sky. It’s the first mountain bike film I’ve ever been in and also the first film tour I have ever organized.  I’ll be hitting five Rocky Mountain towns and hosting a party, film and raffle in each town.  The best part is that the whole tour is a fundraiser for International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), so I’ll be helping support trail advocacy in the areas where I bring the film.
For a movie trailer on these events, click here:

http://iamspecialized.com/xc-mtb/video/rebecca-rusch-race-across-the-sky-screening-tour

FILM TOUR LOCATIONS AND DATES
ALL SHOW TIMES ARE 7:30 PM, EXCEPT IDAHO, AT 8 PM
Adults……………………………..$10
Kids 12 & under……………….$5

SUN VALLEY, IDAHO Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sun Valley Opera House
1 Sun Valley Road
Sun Valley ID 83353

Elephant’s Perch
280 East Avenue
Ketchum, ID 83340
208-726-3497
pre-party..6-7:30pm
MISSOULA, MONTANA Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Roxy
718 S.Higgins Ave
Missoula,MT 59801

Big Sky Bikes
809 East Front Street
Missoula, MT. 59802-4704
406-830-3195
pre-party 5:30-7pm
CARBONDALE, COLORADO Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Roaring Fork High School
2270 Highway 133
Carbondale,CO 81623

Ajax Bike & Sports
571 Highway 133
Carbondale, CO 81623
970-963-0128
pre-party..5:30-7pm
PARK CITY, UTAH Thursday, March 18, 2010
Jim Santy Auditorium
1255 Park Ave
Park City, UT 84060

White Pine Touring
1790 Bonanza Drive
Park City, UT 84060
435-649-8710
pre-party 5:30-7pm
JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING Thursday March 25, 2010
The Pink Garter
50W.Broadway, Jackson WY 83001

Hoback Sports
520 West Broadway #3
Jackson, WY 83001
307-733-5335
pre-party…5:30-7pm

What kind of protein? You don’t necessarily need to wolf down that rib-eye to get your daily protein fix.  Meat isn’t the only option to get the right amount of protein. It is easy to get your daily allotment through almonds, walnuts and carb-rich health-protective oatmeal, milk, eggs, hummus and beans.

Next, is “how much protein do I need?” According to Clark, “To start, you need to determine how much protein your body needs and then assess how much protein you eat via your standard diet. Most athletes eat more than enough protein without supplements! To estimate your daily needs, multiply your weight by 0.5-0.75 g protein/pound (1.0-1.5 g/kg). If you are restricting calories or are a novice exerciser who is building new muscles, your protein needs are a little higher, but 1 gram of protein/lb (2 g/kg) is more than enough!” For more information to find out how much protein you need, analyzed food labels check out these websites:www.fitday.com or www.sparkpeople.com.

Finally, “when do I need to eat protein?” “Endurance is largely affected by how many calories you consume while you exercise. Studies that look at protein+carbs during endurance exercise indicate when the total calorie intake is similar, the proposed endurance benefits are not there. A good tactic is to eat a tried-and-true, well tolerated carb-protein snack or light meal within the hour or two before you embark on a long run or other form of endurance exercise.”–Nancy Clark

As the KT Tape team continues to personally meet thousands of athletes and learn their different stories, training habits and recovery plans, we realize the benefits of taking a serious look at your diet to prevent injury and sustain you through whatever training schedule you have planned.