Why your shins hurt during formation runs and what you can do to keep going: A first aid guide

Why your shins hurt during formation runs and what you can do to keep going: A first aid guide

Lower Body, Running
Why your shins hurt during formation runs and what you can do to keep going: A first aid guide "Pain is weakness leaving the body" - said no one with shin splints, ever! Ever suffered from shin pain with running? It might be shin splints. While not usually caused by weakness, the pain of shin splints can bring even the best runners to their knees.  Shin splints are the common name for medial tibial stress syndrome. In this condition, the shin muscles and bone are overloaded by running and other impact sports. Most shin splints are caused by "too much, too soon." A rapid increase in running distance or volume without a proper conditioning base is usually to blame.  However, when you have to run in a group, shin splints…
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How to manage a twisted ankle even when you have to keep rucking: A first aid guide

How to manage a twisted ankle even when you have to keep rucking: A first aid guide

Ankle-Foot, Running, Tactical
How to manage a twisted ankle even when you have to keep rucking: A first aid guide If you’ve served in the military, there’s a decent chance you’ve twisted an ankle (or two) Ever twisted an ankle when you were rucking out in the field? The standard injury advice of rest and ice are generally incompatible with that environment.   Military members sustain up to five times as many ankle injuries as the general population due to the physical demands of the job.1 Combat boots and incomplete injury recovery (leading to re-injury) add to the risk profile. The problem? Just one ankle injury, such as a ligament sprain, sets a person up for more long-term issues such as instability, weakness, knee pain, or back pain.  While you might not be…
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When you should see a doctor about head, neck, or back pain

When you should see a doctor about head, neck, or back pain

Spine
When you should see a doctor about head, neck, or back pain Matt had suffered from back pain on-and-off for years. He’d been in a car accident years ago and had also survived a nasty fall from a ladder. The past few years had been pretty good, though, with only occasional low back pain after hard workouts.  This recent slip from a ladder was different. And stupid, Matt said, because, in his hurry to clean out the gutters on a sunny day, he’d failed to secure the ladder properly. Matt said he felt strange the next morning - while his back hurt, his left leg felt wobbly like Jello. He’d nearly tripped over his foot on his way to the bathroom. And, he’d had difficulty urinating when he did make…
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