Difference between stress fractures and shin splints

Newbie

I read somewhere that shin splints go away after you start running but hurt the next day, whereas stress fractures will hurt real bad as you are running. I've been dealing with some stress fractures for awhile now, I thought they had gone away, but I ran 2 miles recently and my legs are hurting pretty bad. When I ran, my legs hurt a little at first but then felt better, and also after the run. But its been two days now and they hurt like hell.

The Movie Geek

If you have a stress fracture you don't want to run at all until they are healed, but you'd also want to get checked out by a doctor.

Shin Splints can lead to a stress fracture, or so I understand it. In the early stages of shin splints your shins will hurt at the beginning of your run and then go away sometime during the run. But the more you run the longer it will take to go away and you'll reach a run that you just can't do because your shins hurt so badly.

The only cure that I know of for shin splints is rest. Take 2 to 3 weeks off from all running. Shin Splints is more common in runners trying to do too much too soon. So, if you are building your mileage faster than your body can handle it, you'll probably develop shin splints. That's why the common recommondation is to build your mileage no more than 10% per week and every third or fourth week you should have a "step back" week where you ease off the distance a little to allow your body the chance to recover.

Shin Splint Info:
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/shin.html
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/lowerleg/shinsplints.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shin-splints/DS00271

Difference between stress fractures and shin splints

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK