Knee and shin pain that will not go away?
While in the military I developed some shin pain, a couple days off and it got better. Then it came back. Couple more days off, then more pain. Went to see the doc and he said it was shin splints. Ok, couple weeks off from running and they were better, but then the pain came back. I had my gait looked at and everything was fine, new, good quality shoes, everything was great but I was still getting pain. It would go away after longer and longer times between running. X-ray showed nothing, same with a bone scan.
Ultimately I ended up with a permanent profile (no more running at all) but then it got to the point that just walking would bring on pain. The pain extended from my knees to just above my ankles.
The end result was me separating from the military with no explanation as to what was wrong. So for the last two years I still have pain with as little walking/standing as possible. Now (for the past few months anyway) my knees are killing me too. If they are bent at all they hurt, often bad enough that I can't walk. I'm often woken up by the pain just from having a knee bent while I sleep.
I'm only 28 so I don't think its arthritis. And all the symptoms aren't there either. So before I go see another doctor that will tell me it's shin splints for the 100th time, anyone have an alternative diagnosis.
For some odd reason I cant add a reply, so Ill try here...
While I could agree that it is shin splints, wouldn't they go away after over 2 years of not running. The farthest I walk is while grocery shopping once a week. Probably less then a half mile. And I don't stand at work.
"In many cases shin splints can result from intense physical activity such as running or jumping, and is a condition that can often take a long time to heal."
What do they mean by "many cases"? What about the rest of the cases?
And how long is "a long time"? Two years should be enough I would think.
Pronation is an interesting thought though. As a kid my ankles used to give out(roll in) while walking on any kind of uneven terrain. But it got better as I got older. And during my gait test I assume they would have caught that.
Public Comments
1. just an idea but maybe some damage to nerves. i'm not a doctor, but i deal a lot with racehorses, i know that's what we would look at on them if they kept going lame and there were no ovbious problems.2. Sorry to tell you, but shin splints is your most likely culprit. However, you may wish to consider over-pronation as the cause for your problems.
Shin Splints is a painful condition in the shin involving inflammation that occurs either in the front or inside section of the shin bone. In many cases shin splints can result from intense physical activity such as running or jumping, and is a condition that can often take a long time to heal.
The symptoms for shin splints include tightness and/or tenderness around the shin, especially after running or walking for long distances. Shin splints are generally caused by excessive stretching of muscles and tendons along the shin bones (tibia and fibula). Overuse of these muscles by athletes and runners is the most common factor.
Excessive pronation of the feet can also be a major contributing factor. Over-pronation leads to internal tibial rotation and increases the tractional forces upon the muscles and ligaments in the lower leg.
In the short term, rest is required to help alleviate shin pain; running and other strenuous activities should be avoided until the condition is minimized. Using appropriate footwear is also a good way to prevent and reduce the effect of shin splints, especially for runners who strike heavily with the heel. Running shoes with proper rear foot stability are important.
Orthotic insoles are useful in that they help prevent over-pronation and provide heel cushioning to reduce impact while providing heel stability.
Please refer to link below for more information.
