I've been having sharp stabbing pains in the middle of my shin. I thought they were muscle cramps when they first started, but now it seems like I have the pain more often than not. I broke the ankle two years ago, and I still have pain in my ankle from the break and the surgeries. I'm not sure if the shin pain is related or not, or what else it could be. I wake up at night with it, and it goes on off and on all day long. It's not steady, more like a cramp where it eases off and comes back, but it never stops. I'm probably going to end up getting it checked out, but I was just wondering what the problem might be.
Don't know if you are a runner or do any sort of daily workout routine but sometimes with joggers the manner of the planting of the foot while jogging causes a slap of the foot on the ground or planting of the toe first and the end result is built up of the muscle over the front of the shin and between the tibia and fibula resulting in the periosteum being lifted off the tibia (shin bone) thus the lay term - shin splints. It is a very painful condition and can get to the point that walking is near impossible. Time, rest and anti-inflammatory medications are the treatment. If not a jogger/runner and you are still suffering the fall out of a fractured ankle/surgery correction, the problem can stem from the way you are walking. Because of the pain and restrictions imposed by the surgery (scarring, pins, screws, etc) you could be walking "funny" or in such a way that the normal tangents of forces that are encountered by the rest of the leg while you walk is such that it is placing undue or unusual strain on the muscles of the lower leg, thus creating a condition similar to the "shin splints" above. The intermittent presentation of the problem could be due to the intermittent nature of your walking needs or stresses encountered, so days more, some days less. Two suggestions: 1) apple juice or OJ daily - Potassium replacement may help decrease the cramping. 2) Tonic water - a 6-8 oz glass before bed at night (the gin for you would be optional) Tonic water contains quinine that seems to help reduce irritation in the leg muscles (used by many who have restless leg syndrome) and it seems to work. Follow up suggestion too is to insure you are taking in enough calcium and magnesium on a daily basis also. Many are low on Potassium, magnesium and calcium and these minerals are important for proper muscle and body function. Many people with high blood pressure are on the low end of these minerals in their blood. Good luck.
Either way (i.e. jogger or not) you might want to see a chiropodist (sp?) about how you're walking. You could very well be walking (or running) 'funny' and need supports in your shoes. I developed pain in my shins after I'd been jogging for a while, and I was told that if the muscles in the back of the leg aren't sufficiently stretched, then the fronts of the legs will suffer more strain. So stretching (properly) may also help. There is a book that I read called "The Stark Reality of Stretching" that takes you through the science / biology of stretching, and how to do it properly. Good luck.
Thanks. I'm not a runner, but I do still limp a little from the surgery. I have a plate and screws in my leg still and I can't handle pressure on those. I do walk a lot though. I started having the pain when I moved and started walking my dog around the neighborhood. I'll try some of the suggestions. I probably am low on nutrients. That's one of the things I've been trying to correct, but I have a hard time taking supplements.