Shin bone, knee and hip pain

I started jogging approximately 6 months ago; started out slowly jogging 1,3,5,7,9 up to 13 miles 3-4 times a week. Over the holidays I a break over the school vacation. I started jogging again and I'm up to four miles and recently two times for the past few days. My left shin bone has been causing sharp pain that I continue to run through it, although I have been taking advil or excedrine and putting on icy hot.  It doesn't feel like the pain is in the muscle. It's sore when walking also,  Along with the shin my knee has also been acting up but I put a ace brace and it seems to help. Its not as severe as the shin pain, although my left hip is causing some sever pain as well. Should I go for an adjustment at a Chiropractor.  I hate missing the work out and continue to push myself through the pain.  I don't have a family doctor and any doctor at the current time. I was reading up on shin splints and its seems like the pain would be more of a muscle strain pain, although the pain on my shin is on the inside of my left tibia. Any suggestions would greatly help

Thanks,
protektivemom

[Michael L Gross, MD]

It certainly could be shin splints.  However, it could also be a stress fracture.  Before anything else, I would recommend an X-ray.  If the X-ray is negative, either an MRI or bone scan would be considered, depending on your exam.
As you are increasing your mileage, you should pay careful attention to your running shoes.  With your level of training, you should change your shoes no less than every three months.  In addition, you may be several foot abnormalities which are now causing problems at your increased mileage.  Consider evaluation by a podiatrist, and fabrication of orthotic shoe inserts.
Finally, although we often talk about not increasing mileage more than 10 per cent a week, we sometimes forget to start at a lower level after returning from a layoff.  Often, we feel so revitalized, that we not only go back at the same level, be even try to do more.