Talk with Kim - Athletic Trainer

Due to all the training and running I've been doing, I now have shin splints and I talked to Kim Bailey, the wonderful and very kind athletic trainer at the high school about prevention and treatment. She is the best!

I will be adding my own insight as well. The words not in (") are my own.

So for prevention she said:

1. "Proper footwear."  Proper footwear is important because wearing the wrong type of shoe can lead to injury and effect the efficiency of your running as well as some other things.
2. "Gradual increase in training intensity."  Training too hard too fast is a open door to injury. You should start off slow and gradually increase the intensity, repetitions, and so on. 
3. "Strength training with focus on core strength."  Strength and core training plays an important role in reducing the chance of injury and more efficient running.
4. "Conditioning on a even, cushioned surface."  Running on this type of surface lessens the impact your feet and legs absorb. Running on hard surfaces can put more stress on your body than it need, thus leading to unwanted injuries. 
5. "Flat Feet."  People with flat feet (no arch) should use orthotics to give them an arch to prevent the foot from pronating and prevent injuries related to overpronation. 

Treatment

1. "Icing - helps decrease inflammation."  When you have an injury, there is usually inflammation around the area and icing reduces it. 
2. "Ice Message - Also helps reduce inflammation and increases circulation."  
3. "Rest - Unloads the joints and puts you in a environment to heal."  After a hard workout or consistent training, the body needs time to rest and rebuild muscle fibers that have been torn. 
4. "Take Ibuprofen/Anti-Inflammatory Pills" 

To help with my shin splints, I got Dr. Scholls Insoles called Active Series. Here is some information from the website about them: "During athletic activity, the foot is subject to the shock from impact of 2-3 times your body weight with every step. Dr. Scholl's® Active Series™ Insoles reduce shock by 40% and, for those with shin splints, runner's knee and plantar fasciitis, helps relieve and prevent the pain."