If you’ve ever felt that nagging, burning pain along your shinbone during or after physical activity, you’re not alone. Shin splints affect millions of people each year, from casual walkers to dedicated runners. This frustrating condition can sideline your fitness goals and make even simple daily activities uncomfortable.
For people who are constantly on their feet—whether for work, their favorite sport, or the business of daily life—shin splints can feel nearly impossible to treat without completely changing your lifestyle. The good news? With the right prevention strategies and treatment approach, you can find effective relief and get back to moving pain-free.
What are shin splints?
The term “shin splints” isn’t a medical term, but rather a catch-all phrase for pain along the shinbone (tibia). Medical professionals typically diagnose this condition as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) or, in more severe cases, tibial stress fractures. The pain usually occurs along the inner edge of your shinbone and can range from a dull ache to sharp, stabbing sensations.
Shin splints develop when the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around your tibia become overworked. This commonly happens when you increase your physical activity too quickly, walk or run on hard surfaces repeatedly without adequate rest, or have biomechanical issues that place extra stress on your lower legs.
While the underlying cause can be effectively treated by simply resting and allowing these tissues to heal, many people find that recovery requires a significant disruption to their routine. This affects not just dedicated runners, but anyone who walks regularly—which includes most of us.
So if you’re like a lot of people who can’t take a week or two to be off their feet, the key becomes catching the problem early and using prevention strategies before the pain becomes debilitating.
Treating shin splints
If shin pain is currently bothering you, there are a few things you can try at home to relieve some of the discomfort and help your body heal.
Rest and recovery
The primary treatment for shin splints is giving your legs adequate time to heal. This means reducing or temporarily stopping the activities that caused the problem. However, complete rest isn’t always practical, especially if walking is part of your daily routine or job requirements.
Stretching the calf muscles
Tight calf muscles often contribute to shin splint pain. Regular calf stretches can help alleviate tension and improve flexibility in your lower legs that relieves some of the pain of tibial stress injuries:
- Wall push-ups: Place your hands against a wall and step your affected leg back, keeping your heel on the ground.
- Seated calf stretch: Sit with your leg extended and gently pull your toes toward your shin.
- Standing calf stretch: Step one foot back and press your heel down while leaning forward.
Heat and ice therapy
Alternating between heat and ice can help manage pain and inflammation. Apply ice for 15-20 minutes immediately after activity to reduce swelling, then use heat before your next activity to improve blood flow and muscle flexibility. Always wrap ice or heat packs in a towel to protect your skin.
How to prevent shin splints
Prevention is often more effective than trying to reverse shin splint symptoms quickly. Here are evidence-based strategies to keep your shins healthy and pain-free.
Maintain a healthy weight
Even a modest weight reduction can significantly decrease the impact forces traveling through your shins during walking and running. Focus on a balanced diet and gradual, sustainable weight management rather than crash or fad dieting.
Invest in proper footwear
Your shoes play a crucial role in shin splint prevention. Replace running or walking shoes every 300-500 miles, or when you notice uneven wear patterns on the soles. Look for shoes that provide adequate arch support and cushioning for your specific foot type.
If you’re having trouble in every pair of shoe you try, it may be time to consider custom orthotics that can directly address structural problems with your feet and ankles.
Strengthen key muscle groups
Weak muscles in your hips and feet can contribute to poor movement patterns that stress your shins. Focus on strengthening these areas:
- Hip muscles: Strong glutes and hip stabilizers help maintain proper leg alignment. Include exercises like clamshells, side-lying leg lifts, and single-leg bridges in your routine.
- Foot and ankle muscles: Stronger feet and ankles provide better shock absorption. Try toe raises, ankle circles, and picking up marbles with your toes to build strength in these smaller muscles.
- Shin muscles: Strengthening the muscles on the front of your shins can help balance the forces in your lower leg. Heel walks and toe taps are simple exercises that target these muscles.
Choose softer surfaces when possible
Hard surfaces like concrete and asphalt create more impact forces through your body than other surfaces. When you have the option, walk or run on:
- Grass or dirt trails
- Rubberized tracks
- Treadmills with good shock absorption
Progress gradually and rest properly
The “too much, too soon” mistake when training is one of the leading causes of shin splints. Follow the 10% rule: increase your weekly mileage or activity time by no more than 10% each week. This gives your body time to adapt to increased demands.
Rest days are just as important as active days. Your tissues need time to repair and strengthen between sessions. Consider cross-training with low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, or yoga to maintain fitness while giving your shins a break.
Get a professional gait analysis
Sometimes shin splints result from subtle biomechanical issues that aren’t obvious to the untrained eye. A professional gait analysis can identify problems like overpronation, improper foot strike, or inefficient movement patterns that contribute to shin pain.
During a gait analysis, a physical therapist or trained specialist will observe how you walk or run, often using video analysis to slow down your movement and identify problem areas. They can then provide specific recommendations for form corrections, exercises, or equipment modifications.
Personalized walking and running advice from PTs in the North Suburbs
Successfully preventing shin splints often requires a personalized approach that considers your unique body mechanics, activity level, and goals. While the general ideas we shared here can give you a starting point, working with a physical therapist can help you develop a customized plan that addresses your specific risk factors.
At Panther Physical Therapy, our experienced team specializes in helping active individuals prevent and recover from shin splints. Learn about how we may be able to help you get rid of shin splints both now and in the future by calling one of our Pittsburgh clinics or by requesting an appointment online today.