How Can You Treat Shin Splints?

Understand and prevent this common lower-leg pain.

Ever notice your shins aching after running or dancing? Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, often happen after you’ve overused your lower legs.

“If you think you have shin splints, don’t ‘push through the pain.’ Not only can this prolong your recovery, but it may also lead to the development of a stress fracture.” says Mohamed Shitia, DO, orthopaedic sports medicine specialist at Geisinger Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Scranton.

You can recover from shin splints faster when you understand what’s causing the pain and how to treat (and prevent) it.

What are shin splints?

“Shin splints are typically felt along the inner edge of the shin bone and can often be described as a dull or throbbing pain,” says Dr. Shitia. “As opposed to a stress fracture where there is usually pinpoint tenderness at a single location on the shin bone, pain from shin splints is usually widespread along the shin.”

The pain usually sets in when you start physical activity and stops after a period of rest. You may also notice a little swelling or bruising in the painful area. The pain can be worse when you’re standing on your toes or rolling your ankle inward.

“Continuing to run with pain from shin splints may eventually cause the pain to begin earlier during activity and with less intense activity,” says Dr. Shitia.

What causes shin splints?

“The pain you feel from shin splints is caused by inflammation of the muscles, tendons and bone tissue surrounding your shin,” says Dr. Shitia. “Often this is caused by overuse and repetitive, high-impact activities.”

Shin splints are most common in runners, dancers, military trainees and soccer players, but can also affect people doing various other activities.

Factors that cause or aggravate shin splints are:

High-impact exercises like running or jumping
Weak bones possibly caused by a shortage of vitamin D, an eating disorder or osteoporosis
Running surfaces that are steep or hard
Problems with your feet such as flat feet
Incorrect form such as pronation, a tendency to roll your ankle inward while running
Poor shoes that are old or lack support

Shin splints treatments

The following treatments should help address the lower leg pain.

Rest

Resting for two to four weeks (or longer) is critical. Once you’re pain-free, gradually return to activity. Want to stay active? Try low-impact exercises like swimming, biking or water running.

Ice

Apply ice or cooling packs to the sore shin for 15 to 20 minutes, three to six times a day for several days. Always place a barrier, like a towel, between your skin and the ice.

Pain reliever

Over-the-counter pain relievers can provide relief. Take the correct dose. Some options include ibuprofen (Advil^®), acetaminophen (Tylenol^®) and naproxen (Aleve^®).

Supplements

Recent studies have found an association between shin splints and vitamin D deficiency. Talk to your doctor about adding vitamin D3 supplements to your daily routine.

Stretching

Stretching the calves, shins and lower leg muscles can help with healing and relieve pain.

Supportive shoes and shoe inserts

Shoe inserts or custom-made orthotics can reduce injury, especially if you have flat feet.

How long will shin splints last?

Shin splints can take three to six months to heal, if not addressed early.

“Take at least two to four weeks to rest,” says Dr. Shitia. “If the pain is gone, you can gradually start running again. A useful guideline is to avoid increasing your total running mileage or activity level by more than 10% each week. If the pain returns, you should stop running and seek care in order to avoid further injury.”

If at-home treatments don’t provide relief, see your doctor. They may request an X-ray or MRI to rule out a stress fracture or other conditions. They may also recommend a course of physical therapy.

Prevention

Steps you can take to prevent shin splints include:

Warming up completely before exercise
Stretching after exercise, especially the lower legs
Strengthening the lower legs and core muscles
Gradually increasing running intensity or frequency
Cross training with low-impact options like swimming, rowing, biking or using an elliptical machine
Replacing running shoes every 300 to 500 miles
Shoe inserts