Plagued by Shin Splints? Here's What You Need to Know

You have a dull ache in your shins, and you’re feeling it every time you jog or run. It’s most likely shin splints.

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Alpine Orthopedics & Sports Medicine are sports medicine specialists who treat all types of musculoskeletal injuries, whether it’s a sports injury or something else.

Our physicians also provide preventive medicine to help you prevent future injuries.

What causes shin splints?

Shin splints are an overuse injury. Anatomically speaking, your muscles and tendons around the shin bone (tibia) are stressed beyond their capacity and have become inflamed.

Ask yourself if you have recently changed your exercise or training routine? Perhaps you’re gearing up for a race and have increased your time on the track and intensity of training.

If you engage in a high-impact activity involving jumping, running, or sudden twists and turns, especially if you’ve altered your training routine, you’re at high risk of shin splints.

Treatment for shin splints

Shin splint treatment involves patience. Here are some options we recommend.

RICE method

Rest your legs. You’ll need to take a break from your normal exercise routine for at least 1-2 weeks. Use ice several times a day, use compression stockings to reduce pain and swelling, and prop your legs up with pillows.

Medication

Use over-the-counter pain relievers to help control your pain during the first few days. Pain relievers are a temporary aid and are not to be used for the long-term management of shin splints.

Physical therapy

We may prescribe physical therapy to ease your shin splint symptoms. Your therapist also teaches you stretches and strengthening moves for your hips, glutes, and lower legs to help prevent future shin splint attacks.

Physical therapy also treats the underlying causes of shin splints, including faulty biomechanics and improper training habits. Your therapist analyzes your walking gait and footwear to determine if they’re contributing to your symptoms.

Preventing shin splints

We provide guidance on how to avoid shin splints in the future. We might suggest:

Warm up and stretch

Always warm up and cool down before and after exercise. Tight calf muscles can lead to shin splints, and they make the muscles in the front of your shin work harder. Perform the stretches your physical therapist teaches you.

Gradually increase the duration and intensity of exercise

After an attack of shin splints, start exercising again slowly. Don’t resume your regular routine right away. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your movement over a few weeks.