If you’ve ever felt a sharp pain or ache in the front of your lower leg, you might suspect you have shin splints. After all, the condition affects about 13% to 20% of runners, according to some research.
This common running issue often hits during or after exercise or when you touch the affected area. And that affected area often runs right along the tibia or the larger of the two bones in the lower leg. In less common cases, you might feel the tightening pain in the soft, outer, muscular part of the shin. The pain is usually bad enough that running becomes impossible, but then subsides when you stop running.
Injuries like shin splints can crop up if you ramp up your mileage too quickly, along with a few other causes. If you experience them, we’ve got you covered on shin splint treatment and how to prevent them in the first place.
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What causes shin splints?
Shin splints have derailed many hard-won training gains. They’re among the most frustrating injuries because they make a basic act—running—feel impossible. But the term “shin splints” actually denotes more than one lower leg ailment.
Bone-related shin pain, called medial tibial stress syndrome, can cover a broad spectrum of conditions, ranging from a stress injury (irritation of the bone) to a stress fracture (an actual crack in the bone). The area hurts during and especially after exercise, and the tibia hurts when touched or tapped.
Bone-related shin pain is more common than muscular shin pain (by about nine to one). In those bone-related cases, the bone actually swells and, if irritated for long enough, a stress fracture can occur. It’s generally the result of three variables: body mechanics, amount of activity, and bone density. Body mechanics include foot type, foot strike, and how your body is built. Activity can cause shin splints if you up your training workload too soon, going from say, five miles one week to more than 10 the next. Bone density, while also a contributor to shin splint risk, can be a bigger factor for women. All three of these variables can be altered or compensated for to help alleviate the problem.
The less common muscular-related symptoms usually signal exertional compartment syndrome (ECS). ECS can occur in any part of the lower leg and is characterized by a tightening in the shin that worsens during exercise. Patients often report that their legs feel so tight that they might explode. Eighty percent of ECS cases happen in the front part of the shin. The leg is pain-free except during activity.
Shin Splints Treatment
To treat bone-related shin splints:
Make sure to see a doctor for proper diagnosis. Stress injuries can become stress fractures, which can sideline you for a long time. Also, it’s critical that you take some time off and aim for dynamic rest. That means finding another activity that doesn’t load your legs but keeps you moving. Swimming and stationary cycling are good choices.
To treat muscle-related shin splints:
Two words: Foam roll. Part of the problem with ECS is tight fascia, the tough material that wraps around most of our muscles. Run your shins and calves over a foam roller for several minutes several times a day to help loosen the fascia. Manual massage can help as well.
Another option for treating shin splints that affect the muscle: Try arch support and stability shoes. These can (potentially) help correct biomechanical problems in the feet and take the stress off the affected muscles. If these measures don’t help, see a doctor.
Shin Splints Prevention
These five tips can help you sidestep shin splints all together:
1. Change your shoes
Try switching to a shoe that limits pronation. Arch supports can help as well.
2. Check your calcium and vitamin D levels
If you’re low on calcium or vitamin D, you’ll want to increase your intake but too much of these micronutrients can have adverse health effects, so it’s best to work with your doctor. Easy food sources are milk and yogurt.
3. Follow the 10-percent rule
Never up your total weekly mileage by more than 10 percent. This will help you avoid that common cause of shin splints, which is overdoing it or taking on too much too fast.
4. Train your hips and core
Strengthening these areas will make you a stronger runner, which improves foot strike and body mechanics.
5. Shorten your running stride
Doing this while increasing your foot strike cadence may help you generate better stride mechanics, because you’ll be putting a lot less load on your feet, shins, knees, and on up the kinetic chain. Count your foot strikes on one side for 1 minute. A good number is 85 to 90 strikes of one foot per minute.
Watch this video to hear Dr. Jordan Metzl’s advice on shin splints treatment and prevention:
Adapted from The Athlete’s Book of Home Remedies
Jordan Metzl is a sports medicine physician in New York City. He’s the author of three bestselling books and the creator of the Ironstrength Workout, a functional fitness program for runners.
