When I hiked part of the AT in 2000 I got shin splints and had to leave the trail for 5 days. Sometime last year on Trailplace.com I saw a forum posting that had a detailed exercise program to help avoid shin splints. I thought I had printed it off but now cannot find it. Does anyone out there have any knowldge of these exercises?
Downunda
I do somewhat know how to minimize their impact. I got 'em in north VA… In the middle of the hike! Beforehand, I thought shin splints came about because you’re body is not conditioned to do high mileage, but by N. VA, I felt I was conditioned. Technically they result in you quads growing stronger and faster than your lower leg muscles. So exercising the shins by tapping ones foot for extended periods of times will help minimize shin splints. Also, taking IB profrin and dipping them in a cool stream will help. Finally, you may consider lower mileage if you’re not already forced to do so.
Sweeper
Uh, don’t run in hiking boots…I got one so bad you could here the muscle actually squeek under the skin it was so inflammed. I crawled into Boiling Springs unable to walk at anything better than Lurch from the Adams Family. I scared one little girl.
Bushwhack
David I sent some of them directly to you. Let me know if you got them. Sue
hamockhngr
Another small thing one can do to guard against shin splints and other troubel is to go barefoot when one can safely do so. Zack Barksdale, M.S., an exercise physiologist at the Cooper Fitness Center in Dallas, recommends walking around barefoot when you are at home, maybe at work, and when you can do so safely. There are small muscles and bones in the feet that get lazy when always enclosed by shoes. So, believe it or not, going barefoot prior to ones hike is another part of the puzzle of making sure the feet and legs are ready for a hike.
Mr. Boo
Hey Mr Boo, great minds must think alike. I have just written my second journal entry (they won’t be visible to the public until I have written the third!) and in it I was just discussing my physical preparation for my 02 hike. For about 2 months prior to hiking the AT last time I used to go for long barefoot walks around the neighborhood to toughen up my feet which these walks surely did. It’s interesting to know that this can help avoid shin splint problems.
I picked up the barefooot preparation tip on some hiker’s web site.
On reflection of when I got shin splints I believe I had pushed myself too hard early on. However I will be practising the shin splint excercises daily on my next AT hike.
Downunda
Good Day Downunda,
I too had little problems with my feet. I had a total of 5 to 6 blisters over my entire '99 thru-hike. And none in an area of my feet that caused me to slow down.
Anyway, I have the habit of kicking my shoes off anytime I can and going barefoot.
But, I cannot plead being a great mind. Wish I could. Until I found this website on fitness ( I am using www.cooperfitness.com to train for a section hike and track my level of fitness ), I never thought of it being important. I think it was great that you consciously went out and did long walks in your bear feet. Very smart.
By the way, this site is for free. I calculate that on a typical day on the trail, one does anywhere from 35 to 70 aerobic points using the cooper system. This could allow someone who lives in flat terrain and no tall building with no gym nearby to train for a hike very nicely. It has exercise routines and all sorts of information on diet and exercise supported by one of the pioneers of sports medicine, Dr. Kenneth Cooper.
Mr. Boo
Of course, there’s always the Barefoot Sisters, Isis and Jackrabbit, of 00-01. They started at Katahdin in July 00 and hiked totally barefoot until somewhere in VA when they had to get boots because their feet were slipping on the snow and ice. They finished Southbounding in March, and as far as we know, they flip-flopped! We met them just outside of Hiawasee when we were but freshman NOBO’s. 
Bramble & Bushwhack
The sister completed their Yo-Yo hike mid October 2001. Great girls. I hike off and on with them from VA to NH.
hamockhngr