Do Shin Splints Mean an End to Activities You Love, Like Running?

Anyone who runs a lot is familiar with shin splints — either you’ve had them yourself or you know someone who has. Shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome, are a common source of pain and injury. 

Track, football, soccer, basketball, and dancing are common activities that increase your risk of getting shin splints. But this painful condition doesn’t have to stop you from participating in activities you enjoy. There’s effective ways to treat and prevent shin splints, so you can stay active. 

In this article, we’ll discuss why shin splints occur, how to treat them, and prevention tips.

What causes shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)?

Shin splints are caused by inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and tissue around the tibia bone (one of the bones in the lower leg). 

The inflammation is caused by repetitive stress on these areas from activities like:

• Running

• Dancing

• Sports that involve a lot of running, like basketball and soccer

• Jumping on hard surfaces, especially uneven surfaces

The more activity you do that involves running and movement that puts stress on the tissue around the tibia, the more likely you are to develop shin splints. 

You’re also more likely to develop shin splints if you’re new to running or a running-heavy sport. That’s because your muscles are developing strength and flexibility. 

What do shin splints feel like?

Shin splints feel like a throbbing or sharp pain along your shin bone. This area can feel tender to the touch. And sometimes the pain is worse along the lower part of your shin.

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You’ll also notice that the pain gets worse with activities like walking or wiggling your toes up and down. But you shouldn’t notice any cramping, numbness, or tingling in your leg or foot. 

How do you get rid of shin splints?

If you’re experiencing shin splints, there’s many things you can do to help them go away. Here are some tips for getting rid of shin splints.

Rest

Shin splints are a repetitive use injury. With these types of injuries, you need to rest so the inflammation can go away. This doesn’t mean you have to stop running or other activities completely. Instead, you can decrease the amount of activity you’re doing. 

For example, if you typically run 20 miles a week, cut back to 10 miles. Or modify your activity plan so you have more time between workouts and training sessions. This gives your body more time to recover.  

Compression

While it isn’t backed by research, some people report experiencing pain relief from light compression. So you can try compression and see if it works for you.

You can try wrapping your leg with an elastic compression bandage. You can also try wearing athletic compression socks or calf compression sleeves during and after activity.

Cold therapy

Like compression, some people notice they feel better after applying ice or cold gel packs to their shin splints. 

You can try applying a cold compress, ice, or gel pack to your shin splints for 15 minutes every few hours. Just make sure to wrap the ice or gel pack in a towel or cloth before applying it to your skin. 

Anti-inflammatory medication

Anti-inflammatory medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil), are available over the counter (OTC) and can provide pain relief from shin splints. Just make sure to follow dosing recommendations listed on the packaging. 

If you’re not sure whether you can take these medications, check with your healthcare provider to make sure they’re safe for you. These OTC medications aren’t meant for long-term use. If you notice you still need them after a week, talk to your healthcare provider about other options. 

Switch activities

You can switch to a low-impact activity like swimming or cycling, which are less likely to cause shin splints. 

If you’re an athlete or certain activities are part of your job, this might not be an option for you. But you might still be able to modify your routine so that you’re less likely to develop shin splints. This is called “active recovery.” 

How long do shin splints last?

Shin splints can last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks after you’ve started taking measures to get rid of them. 

Once your shin splints resolve, you may be tempted to go right back to your usual routine, but you should wait until you haven't had pain for at least 2 weeks. When you do start your activities again, make sure you take steps to avoid getting shin splints in the future. 

How do I avoid getting shin splints?

Whether you’ve had shin splints in the past or just want to avoid ever experiencing them, here’s some preventative things you can do.

Gradually increase activity

You should gradually increase how much time you spend doing an activity and how often you do it. Going too far, too fast increases your risk of developing shin splints. You also need to give yourself plenty of time to recover. 

That means taking breaks between training sessions or shortening sessions. If you’re a runner, you might need to run fewer miles or less often so your muscles can rest and completely recover. 

Increase your flexibility

Good flexibility is important to reducing the risk of shin splints. Calf stretching and strengthening exercises can help. Before and after training, make sure to use static and dynamic stretches that focus on your heel cord and calf muscles. 

Perfect your technique

Make sure you’re using proper technique during exercise and sports. You may be putting unnecessary strain on your legs, which puts you at risk for shin splints. It can be helpful to work with a trainer or coach to make sure your technique is correct. 

Some people benefit from gait training to make sure their running posture isn’t causing shin splints. Wearing appropriate footwear can also help by relieving stress on the lower leg. An athletic shoe store is a good place to go to see if you’re wearing the right shoes and if they fit properly.

Vitamin D and calcium

There’s some evidence that getting enough calcium and vitamin D can prevent repetitive use injuries by increasing overall bone health and strength. 

When should I see a healthcare provider for shin splints?

If your pain does not improve with rest or it gets worse, you should see a healthcare provider. You should also see a healthcare provider if you notice pain in just one specific spot on your shin instead of along most of your shin bone. These may be signs of a stress fracture. 

You should also see a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms in your lower leg or foot:

• Cramping

• Numbness

• Tingling

• Redness

• Swelling

Shin splints should not cause any of these symptoms. These could be signs of another medical condition. 

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Written by:

Tracy Norfleet, MD, FACP

Dr. Tracy Norfleet is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician, health expert, and physician leader with over 20 years of experience practicing adult medicine. Dual-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Tracy possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both traditional medical practices and innovative lifestyle interventions for chronic disease management and reversal.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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