When ever I run , the outer part of my lower leg gets sore to the point where I can't run longer than 10 minutes without being in agonizing pain.

Rugby started half way through March and the coach wants me to be able to run for atleast 30 minutes or more.

What can I do?

Thanks,
Clint

Do you warm up? Do you stretch and if so, how much? Do you have access to a trainer and have you considered seeing them? Do you do any lower leg exercises? Where on your outside lower leg? Are we talking about the outside front, the outside back, or just the outside? Does your leg hurt if you do a different exercise like biking, rowing, or lifting?

Well typically the warm up is the walk from the school to the gym. I don't really stretch that much. I started working legs more recently. And I'm talking about the "Tibialis anterior" (I google leg muscles and found it, hah.)

Look up the symptoms for shin splints and see if that is what you have. These are a common overuse problem for rookie runners and for those who increase their running (I am currently dealing with them) too aggressively. If you do, indeed, have shin splints typical remedies are recovery - resting them until the inflammation/pain subsides, and secondarily icing them when they flare up and NSAIDS like ibuprofen. Shoes may be a factor. Stretching for running, while beneficial for other reasons, doesn't IMO reduce the incidence of shin splints or the severity as tendons are not stretched much if any during stretching activities. Try not to increase your distances more than 10% / week.

as g8r said that muscle is typically associated with shin splits, which most people believe to be a bone problem and not a muscle problem until they start to suffer from pain and discomfort in that area and do some research or see a doctor.

However due to the short length of time you run before feeling "agonizing pain" it could also be compartment syndrome which can be manageable just like shin splints. I'd start yourself on an icing and ibuprofen remedy to try to reduce the inflammation and see if it improves.

Please note that I am not a doctor and speak only from previous advice thats been given to me and or research on the topic as I also battle shin splints right now.

Yeah, thanks! The pain doesn't last very long, as a matter of fact it goes away within minutes. However, no matter how much I stretch or warm up, I still get them.

I asked a trainer at the gym and he looked at my shoes.. He said get a new pair (I had skate shoes on at the time). I bought running shoes and this didn't seem to change much.

Well you initial choice in shoes didn't help you at all. Shin splints are inflammation of the muscle and tendons so the damage was done previously and won't just "go away". You need to do the ice and ibuprofen treatment. not running for a while wouldn't hurt either.

Just take ibuprofen after a run and ice it?

Try just icing it first. 15 minutes on, 15 mins off for 2 or 3 cycles immediately after exercise. If that alone is not helping, try adding some ibuprofen taken post workout to help reduce inflammation further.

If that still doesn't help then you should really go see a doctor about it.

I think you're running too fast is the problem since you said you changed shoes and it still doesn't help. Also, surface can be a biggie as well. If you're running in the streets, then the street sort of curves and you'd want to run in a zig-zag if it's a really long street or if you cut corners a lot, run the opposite side every corner.

Try running with HITT or something of the likes. Just go into intervals and worry about length of time rather than speed or distance. As a golden rule, never increase speed or distance/time at the same time; only increase one or the other. Just jog for 30 minutes, and if you can't do that, then just walk as fast as you possibly can for 30 minutes. Eventually you'll find that you can run faster, and fast for longer period of time without pain.

I used to get shin spints a lot during track season. One of the things our coach had us do to help stretch the area was to sit on the ground and lift your leg up at a 45* angle and point your toe and then write the alphapet in the air w/ your leg. It seemed to help along w/ icing.

hey clint,

you really need to see a doctor.