Compress Me!

Last Friday morning, while doing an easy 6-miler on the treadmill I noticed some pain in my shin. I've never suffered from shin splints before (except for about 9 years ago when I ran on the beach barefoot) so I was surprised that suddenly my shins would hurt. The next day, I proceeded to run 15 miles outside and I only felt the shin pain slightly.

However, when returning to the treadmill this week due to the ice storm, I once again had shin pain. My theory is that this pain is being caused by the sudden introduction of the treadmill (I had been doing 100% of my runs outdoors up until December) and the new model of a Nike shoe which doesn't fit me as well as the previous model.

My husband has dealt with shin splints in the past, and he had a lot of luck with the Zensah compression sleeves. Before I purchased my own pair, I decided to go to the doctor just to be sure it wasn't anything more serious, and to perhaps get a recommendation for physical therapy if needed. The doctor confirmed that it was shin splint pain, likely caused by the treadmill and/or the new model of the shoe. He recommended that I purchase a compression sleeve of some sort (along with some stretches and strengthening exercises). The goal with compression is that it decreases the amount of muscle vibration that's caused by the impact of striking the ground (or treadmill in my case). My husband wore his not only while running, but also during the rest of the day. I'd heard from other friends that wearing compression sleeves post run is great not only for shin splints but general muscle recovery.

So, off to Pacers I went for advice on which compression sleeve would be my best bet. The woman at the store was extremely helpful and allowed me to try on several products. I first tried on a Pro-Tec wrap because I like that brand of injury prevention/recovery products. However, it felt like it might be awkward to run in. After trying the Pro-Tec wrap, the Pacers rep showed me the CEP compression sleeves. She measured my calf, found the right size and allowed me to try them on. They felt snug and as I walked around, I felt more "secure" in my shin-- if that makes any sense!

As always, a pleasant experience at my favorite running store, and it was nice to benefit from my Ambassador discount.

I really dislike the treadmill, but when there is snow/ice on the ground, I feel safer on the treadmill. I run in the morning in the dark, and I don't want to risk falling and hurting myself. So I'll be wearing these CEP sleeves, doing the stretches and exercises recommended by my doctor and ditching the new version of the Nikes with the wide toebox. I haven't had a serious running injury in over a year, and I don't want that to change!