What are shin splints?

Another of the most common running injuries that can be seriously painful and extremely frustrating, shin splints, also know as medial tibial stress syndrome, strike when you get tearing in the muscles around your shin bone.

You’ll have a dull ache or sharp, stabbing pain along the edges of your shine bone

What are the symptoms of shin splints?

You’ll have a dull ache or sharp, stabbing pain along the edges of your shine bone. It’s more common to get these medially (on the inside edge where your bone meets calf muscle) but they can happen on the outside edge too. With the latter it’s possible for the pain to extend down into the ankle or foot. 

What causes shin splints? 

We’re starting to sound like a broken record here but shin splints are very common in people who’ve just started running, or taken up a more intensive training programme and basically gone too far, too soon. 

Can I run through shin splints?

If you catch it early enough, before it becomes a seriously debilitating bout, then it is possible to ease back and reduce your mileage without moving to complete rest.

The key is to find a level of running where it’s comfortable and pain-free and then gradually increase from there.

Just like plantar fasciitis, another option is to do some lower impact exercise, such as running in a swimming pool. 

When it first flares up, get ice on it several times a day to reduce inflammation

How should I treat shin splints?

When it first flares up, get ice on it several times a day to reduce inflammation. Reduce your running or take a complete break until you’ve been pain free for a fortnight, then make sure your return is gradual, keeping mileage increases to no more than 10 per cent a week. 

How can I prevent shin splints?

Avoid sudden increases in mileage and make sure you’ve got the right running shoes for your gait. Mix up your training to include something that features more lateral movement, engaging and strengthening other muscles that don’t just involve propelling yourself forward in one straight line.