What Are Shin Splints?

Shin splints are a common cause of lower leg pain, particularly in runners, athletes, and individuals who have recently increased their physical activity or training demands. While the term shin splints is widely used, it is not a single specific injury. Instead, it generally refers to pain along the inner edge of the shin bone caused by irritation and overload in the surrounding tissues.

In most cases, shin splints are best understood as a load-related condition involving the interaction between shin muscles, tendons, and bone tissue. This is often associated with repetitive stress over time, where the body is not given enough recovery between training sessions.

What Are Shin Splints Symptoms?

Shin splints typically present as a range of symptoms that develop gradually rather than from a single incident. People often first begin to question what are shin splints when they notice persistent discomfort or pain in the lower leg during or after activity. These symptoms of shin splints can vary between individuals depending on the structures under load in the lower leg.

Common symptoms and presentations of shin splints may include:

• A dull ache along the lower leg
• General shin pain during or after activity
• Lower leg pain that may ease with rest initially
• Mild swelling in some cases
• Pain that is more noticeable during physical activity, particularly running or jumping

In many cases, the pain tends to increase with continued loading and may settle temporarily with rest, only to return when activity resumes.

Variations in shin pain presentation

In some cases, shin splints may present slightly differently depending on which structures in the lower leg are under the most load. Most commonly, symptoms are felt along the inner edge of the shin bone, often referred to in clinical settings as medial tibial stress syndrome. However, some individuals may notice discomfort or pain felt towards the front and outer edge of the shin bone, sometimes referred to as anterior shin splints.

What Causes Shin Splints?

Understanding what causes shin splints is important for both management and prevention. The condition can often be linked to repetitive stress placed on the lower leg structures beyond their current capacity.

Contributing factors that suggest a higher risk of shin splints may include:

• A sudden increase in training load, volume, or intensity
• Excessive training demands without adequate recovery
• Underlying biomechanical factors affecting movement efficiency
• Altered foot mechanics during walking or running
• Flat feet or other foot type variations
• Tight muscles, particularly in the calves and surrounding lower leg muscles
• Wearing unsupportive shoes during training or activity
• Participation in high impact sports such as running or court sports
• Repeated exposure to hard or uneven surfaces
• Sudden changes in a fitness program or running routine

Over time, these factors may contribute to shin splints developing as the tissues of the lower leg become irritated through repeated loading.

How Are Shin Splints Diagnosed?

A diagnosis of shin splints is typically made following a combination of clinical assessment and symptom history.

This may include:

• A detailed physical exam
• Review of medical history
• Discussion of the patient’s exercise routine and recent changes in training load

In some cases, imaging may be considered to rule out more serious conditions such as a stress fracture or stress reaction, particularly if symptoms are severe or persistent. This may occasionally involve a bone scan or other imaging, as guided by a health professional if required.

Shin Splints vs More Serious Injury

It is important to distinguish shin splints from other, more serious lower leg conditions.

For example, a stress fracture may present with:

• More localised and sharp pain
• Pain that may persist or worsen with rest
• Increased severity compared to typical shin pain

In contrast, shin splints are typically more spread across the shin and related to repetitive stress, although both conditions may affect a similar region of the lower leg. If symptoms continue or worsen, further assessment may be required to exclude a more serious injury, such as a stress reaction or fracture.

How To Treat Shin Splints

Proper management of shin splints generally focuses on reducing load on the affected structures while also addressing potential contributing factors.

Common shin splints treatment options may include:

• Modifying or temporarily reducing aggravating activity to help reduce pain
• Strategies to help manage and potentially reduce inflammation in the affected area
• Incorporating low-impact exercises such as cycling or swimming to help maintain general fitness while reducing load
• Introducing cross-training activities to reduce stress through the lower leg
• Wearing supportive shoes during daily activity and training
• In some cases, shoe inserts or shock-absorbing insoles may be recommended

These options may assist in symptom management and address contributing factors that may be influencing the condition, with a focus on improving tolerance to physical activity over time.

How Long Do Shin Splints Last?

The duration of shin splints can vary significantly depending on the individual and contributing factors.

Recovery time is generally influenced by:

• Ongoing training load and activity levels
• Severity of symptoms
• How quickly contributing biomechanical and load factors are addressed
• Whether physical activity is modified appropriately during recovery

In some cases, symptoms may settle relatively quickly with appropriate load management. In others, pain persists if aggravating factors continue to overload the lower leg.

How To Prevent Shin Splints

Understanding how to prevent shin splints can be important knowledge for individuals returning to running or increasing training demands.

Preventative strategies for shin splints may include:

• Gradual progression of a running program
• Regular cross-training to reduce repetitive loading
• Strengthening of lower leg muscles to improve load tolerance
• Improving foot mechanics through targeted exercise or assessment
• Replacing footwear regularly to ensure adequate support
• Avoiding a sudden increase in training volume or intensity
• Reducing exposure to excessive repeated stress where possible
• Biomechanical factors affecting lower limb loading
• Current and past training load patterns
• Movement and physical activity analysis
• Overall exercise routine and progression

These strategies may help reduce the likelihood of developing shin splints over time.

How Physiotherapy Can Help

Physiotherapy can assist in both the management and prevention of shin splints by addressing underlying contributing factors rather than just the symptoms.

At RHP Physiotherapy, assessment may include a detailed review of:

• Biomechanical factors affecting lower limb loading
• Current and past training load patterns
• Movement and physical activity analysis

Treatment may involve:

• Individualised exercise programs targeting the lower leg muscles
• Load management strategies to reduce irritation of the affected tissues
• Education on modifying physical activity to support recovery
• Guidance on gradual return to sport and running
• Strategies to manage ongoing shin pain and reduce recurrence risk

Book an Appointment at RHP Physiotherapy

If you are experiencing ongoing shin pain, symptoms consistent with shin splints, or have difficulty maintaining your physical activity due to lower leg discomfort, a physiotherapy assessment may be beneficial.

At RHP Physiotherapy, we provide an individualised assessment and management approach for shin splints treatment and related common running injuries, with a focus on long-term movement efficiency and injury prevention.

Book an appointment at our clinic today to have your symptoms assessed.