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Pain in shins
Posted: Jun 2, 2011
Hi. I actually have a health question related to transcribing! I've transcribed for over 25 years and have had no problems other than tight neck and shoulders; no hand, wrist or arm pain. Recently my company changed from cassettes to digital, so I'm using a sllightly different type of food pedal. I can't believe this would make a difference, but I don't know what else could cause this problem ... shin pain. First it started in one leg, and a physical therapist advised me to use both feet equally during the day, shifting back and forth. (He said it's like a repetitive use injury.) That seemed to help for a couple weeks, but now it's in both legs and getting worse.
It used to only cramp at night when I got into bed, then I'd get up and take a hot shower, which ended the cramp for that night. Now it's starting to really hurt during the afternoon and when I leave and walk to the bus, and doesn't stop hurting at all, in the fronts of both legs. (In case anyone doesn't know, it's the muscles around the bones of the lower leg, in the front.) The cramp when it happens at night is excruciating, one of the worst pains I've ever felt, and I get so afraid that I won't be able to get it to stop! The hot shower eventually does it, though. Now I have a fear of it cramping up at work and I won't be able to stop it.
So I'd like to know if anyone has had this problem and what you did about it. Thanks very, very, very much.
;
Oh yeah. I had really bad shin splints. - What helped me....
[ In Reply To ..]1. Rest. Off your feet as much as possible. Avoid prolonged standing. When relaxing or laying down, try elevating your legs.
2. Hot soaks and heating pad.
3. Ice. Bag of frozen vegetables 5 minutes twice daily.
4. Tape. Ace bandage or neoprene sleeve. You can find these in the drug store.
5. Anti-inflammatories. I used ibuprofen 600-800 mg (max dose) twice daily.
6. Correct shoes. Padded insole or athletic shoes. No high heels!
7. Avoid concrete, tiled or other hard-surface floors as much as possible. For example, instead of a 4-5-hour weekend shopping marathon, break it up into several shorter trips on different days. Avoid inclined surfaces such as hills or stairs.
8. Gentle stretching exercises twice daily. Strengthening exercises after pain subsides. The ones that helped me most was walking and running underwater in the pool and swimming.
9. Ergonomics. I experimented with the height of my chair seat, pillows on the seat and in the back support region. I tried using different heights for my legs, placing the foot pedal on a foot rest (I found a cheap one at Office Depot) and keeping the stationary foot elevated off the floor an inch or two. I used a phone book for that, and the lower shelf on the inside of my desk. Alternated foot pedal right to left to right etc about every 2 hours. It was hard to use the nondominant foot at first, but I got the hang of it after a while. When transcribing all day, stand up at least every 60-90 minutes, long enough to allow the blood to flow to your lower legs. I would stand up and down on tiptoes to flat feet about 5 times. This really seemed to help.
It took about a month to get rid of the shin splints completely. Hope this helps.
Shin Splints - Sunnyjoy
[ In Reply To ..]Amazing. This is more information than I ever expected in reply! I'm going to print it to take to work with me tomorrow. I can't thank you enough! Aside from the useful information, it helps me feel more hopeful about finding a remedy, since your shin splints apparently had the same cause. I wasn't sure whether to use hot or cold; it sounds like you did both. I had found a website with strengthening exercises, which you mentioned. And the pool at our complex has just opened -- and I had ALSO wondered if swimming would help -- and I'm waiting to be sure the water has warmed up and I'll also do underwater walking. So .. a HUGE thank-you for your immensely helpful, encouraging, detailed response. :)
The list is daunting and its a tall order - sm
[ In Reply To ..]The shin splints I had were pretty bad. They got that way from neglect and hoping they would go away on their own. They didnt. It was a hit ad miss proposition to figure out what worked. Getting over them seemed like a full time job for while. Once they were gone I continued some maintenance measures. They never returned.
Mostly those measures include the ergonomics, daily stretching and every other day strengthening exercices, minimizing time spent on hard surfaces and inclines, water aerobics and sensible shoes. The shoes part was difficult because I loved high heels so much. After getting past the self pity at having to say good bye to them I have since been able to find fashionable styles that suit the purpose.
One thing I forgot to mention is whenever I stand in the kitchen cooking for prolonged periods, I use the foot stool for support and alternate it right to left to right every 10-15 minutes.
Good luck with this. Hope you get over them sooner rather than later.
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