Shinsplints - How To Beat them
The body's components, and how they become damaged
Posted: 4 June 2000
by Patrick Milroy
Shinsplints are one of the most common running injuries. They result from tired or inflexible calf muscles putting too much stress on tendons, which become strained and torn. Overpronation aggravates this problem, as can running on hard surfaces, such as concrete; and running in stiff shoes.
Beginners are the most susceptible to shinsplints for a variety of reasons, but the most common is that they’re using leg muscles that haven’t been stressed in the same way before. Another common cause of shinsplints among beginners is poor choice of running shoes or running in something other than running shoes. Runners who have started running after long layoffs are also susceptible to shinsplints because they often increase their mileage too quickly.
Symptoms
Symptoms of shinsplints include an aching, throbbing or tenderness along the inside of the shin (although it can also radiate to the outside) about halfway down or all along the shin, from the ankle to the knee. This discomfort is due to the inflammation of the tendons on the inside of the front of the lower leg. This is basically the definition of shinsplints. (Sports medicine specialists don’t like to use the term shinsplints because it commonly refers to several lower-leg injuries. We’ll use it anyway, but we’ll focus on the specific problem that is the most common: tendinitis of the lower leg.)
Another symptom is pain when you press on the inflamed area. The pain of shinsplints is most severe at the start of a run, but can go away during a run once the muscles are loosened up (unlike a stress fracture of the shinbone, which will hurt all of the time). With tendinitis, pain will resume after the run.
The treatment
Many runners experience mild shin soreness, which usually can be tolerated. “If shinsplints hit you at the beginning of a season, a certain amount of running through it will help the body adapt,” says podiatrist David O’Brian. “But if it’s a persistent problem, you shouldn’t run through it.”
If it does persist, ice the inflamed area for 15 minutes three times a day and take aspirin or ibuprofen. Ice immediately after running. To hasten recovery, cut down on running or stop altogether. Exercises with a resistance band will help to strengthen muscles of the lower leg (see ‘An Ounce of Prevention’ below). Typical recovery time is two to four weeks.
If the injury doesn’t respond to self-treatment and rest in two to four weeks, see a podiatrist, who may recommend custom-made orthoses to control overpronation. Ultrasound and anti-inflammatories may also be prescribed, but surgery is rarely required.
While recovering from shinsplints, you may want to try alternative, non-impact exercises such as swimming, pool running, walking and cycling in low gear.
An ounce of prevention…
To guard against shinsplints, stretch and strengthen the tendons and muscles in the front of the leg by using band exercises. Anchor one end of the band to a heavy object, such as the leg of a sofa. Stretch the band, then loop it around the end of your foot. Move your foot up and down and from side to side against the band’s resistance to exercise different muscle groups. Many sports shops stock elasticated resistance bands (eg Clinabands).
An even simpler approach is to sit on a table or chair and loop either an ankle weight or a filled paint bucket around your foot, then move your foot up and down from the ankle.
Also, make sure to wear stability shoes or motion control shoes and consider orthotics, if your GP or specialist says you need them. Also replace worn-out shoes, warm up well and run on soft surfaces, and avoid overstriding, which puts more stress on shins.
Discuss this article
It is normal to get some aches and pains, especially at the start, and sore shins are common. As long as the pain continues to get less as time goes on, don't worry too much.
You can minimise the effect in a few different ways:
Run on soft surfaces. Grass/trail is best, but if you have to run on pavements, tarmac is slightly better than concrete. (As your shoes are trail shoes, you may find they are not as cushioned as those designed specifically for road use).
Don't increase your mileage too quickly - 10% per week is the general rule of thumb.
Apply some ice to the affected area (a bag of frozen peas is a good size/shape) for 10-20 mins after your run to reduce any inflammation.
If you are getting discomfort when walking, especially if you have done all of the above, and after a couple of rest days, you may have to think about changing shoes, but as you say the pain is getting kess, this is unlikely.
Posted: 05/08/2002 at 14:40
Tessa,
Do you get back pain, knee pain, hip pain, ankle pain, plantar fasciatis, do you overpronate or have fallen arches?
If so, could be bio-mechanical, spent £25 and go and have a consultation with a proper physio/podiatrist.
Alternatively, shin splints can be due to too much too soon, i,e, the connective tissue takes longer to strengthen compared to muscle tissue, therefore you tear it and it hurts. in this case, rest till its better and take it a bit easier.Also, you can do lower limb excercises.
good luck
Posted: 15/07/2003 at 17:28
Hi I am overweight and have taken up running, at the moment I am following a walk/jog 1 min each x 6. Since the first run on monday, my shins have been really sore more than yesterday, even when walking. My feet are quite sore too, especially around the sides? I have had my gait done and have bought the correct trainers so dont think it is that? Possibly my weight!!! Will this carry on, throughout my training? Thanks
Posted: 09/03/2010 at 14:21
Sounds like the kind of thing you'd expect when starting off.. I think its really important to allow time for the body to heal after running. Especially if like me, you work in an office.. All you are doing is sat down all day long and then suddenly get up and start running - it puts a lot of stress on your joints and muscles. I had very bad shin soreness when returning to running after a long lay off, I did a few runs then immediately thought i could put in a lot more mileage without a slow build-up. After that it took a whole week for the soreness to go away (its no good trying to run again until the pain has completely gone) Well, I learned my lesson after that and now I'm being very careful to a) run slowly b) increase distance gradually c) make sure to take adequate breaks between runs I've bought a couple of bags of frozen peas which I put on both shins immediately after my run, it's actually quite refreshing and seems to help prevent the shin soreness coming back. Hopefully soon i wont need them anymore. I would say that it seems to be more of a problem when running on the roads than it is on grass, but unfortunately there's not much of a choice where I live.
Posted: 17/03/2010 at 17:28
I'm a beginner when it comes to running on roads, i have decided to participate in a half marathon however I keep getting shin splints. I play rugby every week and do not develop this problem however as soon as i hit concrete the pain is almost instantaneous. the RW article does say this could be due to stretching or the hard surface. Personally i think it is the hard surface. Does anyone know of any helpful hints or tips that would help me overcome this pain and allow me to continue my running? Thanks Alex. 
Posted: 07/02/2011 at 21:10
Hi, I am a running beginner too, and have painful shins after a week and a half of jog /walking. My question is would it be useful to use compression type socks whilst running? I normally walk a lot and don't suffer from this problem then. Thanks Leaf
Posted: 02/05/2011 at 19:10
Alex, I would suggest if your sure its hard sufaces, either taking it down a notch and gearing up to a longer run on harder surfaces at a slower rate (eg x mins a day rather then xx mins a day) so your body has time to build appropiate muscle and gain enough experience plus recover better. Or get trainers which are more cushioned -though remember that you will still feel pain, theres only so much trainers can do and bear in mind each step when running will take on many times of your own body weight over and over again, making any pressure worse. Or run on a padded surface such as a treadmill for longer runs, shorter runs on pavements until your running more and more on pavements. If the pain is from over-use the prescription is simple, (painful but simple) stop overusing! Rest until things have repaired and then start back again but at a much slower rate, reduce the stressers which brought on the pain until your mind is training with your body and not 10 steps ahead of it. Your heart is likely to be healthier then your calves, as a result you have to hold back sometimes before your ready to go as far as your head and heart want you to. Its up to you if you take on any of what I've said but you sound like your in a similar situation to me: forever repeatedly hitting your head against a wall (the wall being shin splints), being forced by physical pain (and a bit of common sense) to rest, when you feel marginally better, over estimate what you feel you can actually do and repeat step one, go back running having changed very little other then maybe some foot/shin related gear, have the same thing happen all over again and being forced to rest all over again. If you repeat the same cycle the same things will happen, except the next time it will happen earlier on and repeatidly earlier and earlier on. Nothing changes unless you change the fundamentals of what your doing, thats really the only power we have: not the problem but how we chose to react to it.
Posted: 02/05/2011 at 20:08
Hi, I've just started training for a 10k and am doing a weekly mileage of about 40 miles, usually I would only do about 15-20. I've started getting shin splints, and I'm wondering whether to run through it or not? I'm a little worried as I already suffer from pretty severe tendonitis in my forearms. Thanks
Posted: 25/07/2011 at 17:43
Ive been suffering from shin splints for about 6 months now, and its taken until recently for me to give in and take some rest. I've had about 2 weeks off and I'm gradually building up my training again now, begining with three 2.7 mile runs a week, hoping to complete a 1/2 marathon in may. Hoping taking it slow will prevent futher injury. I run with compression socks on now and it helps a lot, I also sleep in them and sometimes wear them the next day too to help with aches. I also apply ibuproben gel after a run to help stop inflamation. I'm really hoping that this stops my legs getting any worse. Has any one got anymore advice?
Posted: 25/07/2011 at 21:51
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