[pct-l] shin splints

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, Susan,

Shin splints are the collective damage to the muscle structure along the
front of the lower leg.  That muscle structure is what pivots the foot
upward, and similarly prevents the foot from lowering too rapidly by
resisting torque applied at the heel.  Normally the effort to pivot the
foot upward isn’t great so those muscles do not become highly developed,
but resisting the forward heel torque is a much different matter.

When hiking downhill the shoe’s heel strikes first, so to avoid having the
forefoot flap downward out-of-control against the trail, the foot-pivoting
muscles resist by applying considerable force to absorb kinetic energy.  This
energy-absorbing effort creates considerable unaccustomed stress along the
front of the shin.  The steeper the hill and the more quickly one descends,
the greater the stress and the resulting damage.

I’ve experienced shin splints several times – each when I was otherwise in
excellent hiking condition. As my training condition improves I know I can
charge up the hills, so I become impatient when walking at a moderate pace
downhill.  After all, if I can easily charge up the hill, why shouldn’t I
also charge down the same hill?  The effect of speed downhill is a longer
stride that creates high-energy heal-strikes.

I developed mild shin splints in the week or two prior to departing for a
start at Campo.  I realized I had become careless with my training at just
the wrong time, and I did everything I could to avoid having that stupidity
cut short my hike before it really even began.  I remember walking down the
grade into Hauser Creek Canyon by going slowly, “flat-footing”, and
increasing my reliance on the poles to reduce the strain.  After that I was
relatively slow and careful on every down grade, and I took NSAIDs to
reduce the inflammation.

If the incidence of shin splints is greater on the AT I suspect it’s
because there are more – and steeper – grades on that trail compared to the
PCT.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Sat, Jun 23, 2012 at 10:36 AM, Susan Alcorn <backpack45 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Thanks for those who weighed in on shin splints. I emailed my original
> question
> from a village in France where we were hiking and I was trying to figure
> out a
> leg problem and communicate the details to a doctor who spoke minimal
> English
> (with my minimal French). I have heard about shin splints more often from
> AT
> hikers, but I figured that some PCT hikers might have some knowledge too.
> Now that I am back home, I'll get my local doctor's opinion, but I think
> the
> taping suggestions make some sense. Definitely worth a try.
> Happy trails,
> Susan Alcorn
>
>