How I Managed To Get Rid of My Shin & Knee Pain At The Age Of 22

How it started

Shin splints and bad knees can be a real pain, literally. As a now 23-year-old who keeps themselves active, I was frustrated when I started experiencing this common running injury. However, with the right approach and a lot of determination, I managed to overcome my shin splints and get back on track. In this blog post, I will share with you the strategies and techniques that helped me alleviate the pain and recover fully.

Boxing Day, December 26th 2022

After almost 5 years out of football, I took it upon myself to attempt to get match-fit again. This was probably one of my most painful experiences.

I took off in Christchurch Park at midday. My hamstrings were super tight, shins on fire, calves obliterated and the icing on the cake was continuous low back pain during the run. That's when I realized. After 3 to 4 years of lifting heavy weights. My body was not prepared to handle the run. However my mind was.

I refused to give up after that experience, I did some digging and after about 1 hour of research I came across a video that was particularly interesting. Who I found is called "The Knees Over Toes Guy". I saw someone who was once in a worse position than I was, now doing unimaginable things (The video is down below).

Understanding Shin Splints & Knee Pain

Before diving into the solutions, it's important to understand what shin splints are and why they occur. Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, are characterized by pain along the shinbone (tibia) caused by inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue in the lower leg. They are commonly experienced by runners and athletes who engage in high-impact activities.

What did I do to maintain my knees?

In the first segment of the video, he describes an exercise named Tibilais raises, Which I have been doing every day for the past 8-9 months. completing 100+ reps per day. Not only has it got ridden of my knee pain but my shin pain is also gone. I can now run considerably long without any type of pain in the lower body. This allowed me to increase my fitness levels drastically. The Video goes into more depth about why improves particular areas

Proper Footwear

Wearing the right footwear is essential for preventing and managing shin splints. Investing in a good pair of running shoes that provide proper support and cushioning can make a world of difference. If you head over to my Instagram @akakpo.trains I have a detailed post about running shoes that can help which running shoes or everyday trainers will aid you best.

I hope this helps every one of you reading this, if you need further help head over to my Instagram where you can contact me directly.