Shin Splints: What Causes Them and How to Recover Faster
Few injuries frustrate runners more than shin splints. The pain can start as a minor annoyance and quickly become severe enough to interrupt training.
If you're experiencing pain along the front or inside of your shin during or after running, you may be dealing with shin splints.
What Are Shin Splints?
Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, occur when the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around the shin become irritated from repetitive stress.
They are especially common among:
New runners
Marathon trainees
Runners increasing mileage
Athletes returning after time off
Individuals starting a new fitness program
Common Causes of Shin Splints
Several factors can contribute to shin pain, including:
Increasing mileage too quickly
Running on hard surfaces
Tight calf muscles
Weak hips and glutes
Poor recovery habits
Limited ankle mobility
Many runners focus solely on the shin itself, but the root cause often involves movement restrictions and muscle imbalances elsewhere in the body.
How to Treat Shin Splints
The best treatment depends on the severity of symptoms, but most recovery plans include:
Reduce Training Load
Temporarily decreasing mileage or intensity can allow irritated tissues to recover.
Improve Mobility
Tight calves and restricted ankle mobility can increase stress on the lower leg. Stretch therapy can help improve movement and reduce tension.
Strengthen Supporting Muscles
Strengthening the calves, glutes, and core helps improve running mechanics and reduce repetitive strain.
Consider Sports Massage
Sports massage can help relieve muscle tightness, improve circulation, and support recovery during training.
When to See a Physical Therapist
If shin pain persists, worsens, or interferes with your ability to run, it's important to seek professional evaluation.
A physical therapist can identify movement dysfunctions, training errors, and mobility limitations that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Stay Healthy Throughout Training
At Recover Health, we help runners and active adults recover from shin splints and other common running injuries through physical therapy, stretch therapy, and sports massage.
Addressing shin pain early can help you stay on track with training, avoid more serious injuries, and continue doing what you love.
Don't ignore shin pain—the sooner you address it, the sooner you can get back to running comfortably.