Can I Still Run With Shin Splints?

Whether you are an athlete, avid runner, or just enjoy a jog around the neighborhood, if you have ever experienced painful shin splints, you know they can feel like the worst pain ever.

Shin splints, the catch-all term for lower leg pain that occurs below the knee, are the bane of many athletes, runners and even dancers. They often plague beginning runners who do not build their mileage gradually enough or seasoned runners who abruptly change their workout regimen, suddenly adding too much mileage or switching from running on flat surfaces to traversing hills.

The nature of shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), most often can be attributed to the concept of “too much, too soon”.

Symptoms of Shin Splints

Pain and tenderness along the tibia
Potential swelling of the lower legs
In chronic cases, there may be lumps or bumps felt along the bones
In severe cases, there may be red patches on the skin around painful areas

Initially, the pain will stop when exercise stops, but if the condition worsens, the pain can become constant. It is important to have the pain checked by a doctor because other conditions have similar symptoms.

Common Causes of Shin Splints

The exact mechanisms behind shin splints are not fully understood but are thought to involve a variety of different issues. The causes, however, are relatively clear. Shin splints happen from overuse with too much activity or an increase in training. Most often, the activity is high impact and repetitive exercise of your lower legs. This is why runners, dancers, and gymnasts often get shin splints. Common activities that cause shin splints are:

Running, especially on hills
Increasing your days of training
Increasing the intensity of training, or going a longer distance
Doing exercise that has frequent stops and starts, such as dancing or basketball

You are more at risk for shin splints if you:

Have flat feet or a very rigid foot arches
Work out on hard surfaces, such as running on a hard court
Do not wear the proper shoes
Wear worn out shoes

Treatment of Shin Splints

At Ventura Orthopedics, we recommend that when shin splints strike, you should stop running completely or decrease your training depending on the extent and duration of pain. Next, ice your shin to reduce inflammation.

Rest your body. It needs time to heal.
Ice your shin to ease pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days, or until the pain is gone.
Use insoles or orthotics for your shoes. Shoe inserts — which can be custom-made or bought off the shelf — may help if your arches collapse or flatten when you stand up.
Take anti-inflammatory painkillers, if you need them. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin, will help with pain and swelling.