A friend out west says, "Get some higher arches for your shoes. It may not seem related, but the pressure you're exerting on your planting part of your feet require proper arch to avoid pulling tendons/tissues from the front and back of foot. . . causing shin splints. Prepare some of those little paper solo cups, freeze them, and have John rub them up and down your shins at night, and you can peel away the paper cup as it melts. . . it does wonders for the pain and swelling."

Another friend says, "I had shin splints pretty bad for a few months. I got new shoes and it helped but they still didn't go away until I tried this. Get some Theragesic. It's less invasive than Icy Hot, you can get it at Wal-Mart for like $2 or $3. Rub a small amount on your legs a few times a day. Wrap your leg(s) at the end of the day and keep them elevated for about 10-15 min. After I did this my shin splints disappeared and haven't been back. Take a Motrin or Tylenol before you run until they go away. It will help with the pain."

An uncle says, "I just bought new running shoes and in the past I've had shin splints. The fellow at the store was really helpful and guided me to a pair that he said would help and they seem to. Also, I stay off of concrete."

My brother-in-law says, "Shin splints cannot be cured without resting. Calf stretches help."

A reader, who happens to be my very best friend from high school, says, "A lot of shin splints are related to the arch. Check the support in your shoes. Make sure the shoe fits properly, especially in the arch. Running shoes really only last 3-6 months depending on the amount of time spent running."

Another reader says, "I struggled with shin splints last year. It got so bad that I had a hard time walking. I stopped running for a few months (which turned into quite a long time since I sprained my ankle soon after my shins healed) and switched to swimming and biking. I started running again about 2 months ago, but instead of going back to my old style that was causing the shin splints I learned a new style of running called Chi Running. Chi Running has really worked for me. It took me a few weeks of practice to get the hang of it, but then it just clicked one day. I can run for a lot longer now with no pain at all. The inventor of Chi Running is Danny Dryer. He has a book, a video, and a website. I will bring the book with me to the seminar tomorrow. You are welcome to borrow it for as long as you want. It has really changed my life and made me a much better runner."

And one more reader says, "Enough can't be said for a properly fitting pair of running shoes! If you are planning on doing serious running, good shoes are a must! Get thee to a RUNNING store that will watch you run, on a treadmill or outside. They will then get you in a pair of shoes that fit you comfortable, and also match your biomechanics!"