If you like to run, you've most likely dealt with shin splints. Shin splints — medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome — is pain along the shin bone. It can be caused by an intense increase in training volume, which overworks the muscles, tendons, and bone tissues. Symptoms include tenderness, soreness, or pain along your shin bone, and swelling in your lower leg. Continuing to exercise on shin splints can lead to a stress fracture in your tibia.
Who Is Most Susceptible?
Runners are the most likely to experience shin splints, but all athletes have an increased risk. Runners are most common because their training can vary in volume and surface, which puts a lot of stress through the lower leg. If the body isn't ready for the increase in volume or can't handle a new running surface, shin splints can develop. This is part of the reason to keep training through the off-season — if an athlete's body is strong and used to the stimulus of their sport, they can decrease their chance of getting shin splints.
How to Avoid Them
The key is not overtraining. Giving your body a chance to adapt to the volume allows your muscles and tendons to strengthen to handle eventual high volume and intensity. Other ways to help: choose the right running shoes, replace old shoes, lessen the impact, and add strength training. The right shoes — replaced when it's time — give your feet the support they need and keep ground impact consistent. Strength training builds the muscles in the leg and increases the force the body can absorb without injury.
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