Shin Splints: What They Are, Misconceptions, and How to Prevent & Rehab Them
- Dr. Natalie Grohmann, DC, CCSP®
- Sep 22
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever started a new running program or increased your mileage too quickly, you may have felt a dull, aching pain along the front or inside of your shin. Most runners know this frustrating injury by its common name: shin splints.
But what exactly are shin splints? And more importantly — how do you prevent them, and what should you do if they start creeping up on you?
What Are Shin Splints?
“Shin splints” is actually a broad term that describes pain along the shin. The underlying causes can vary — sometimes it’s irritation of the muscles and connective tissues along the tibia, sometimes it’s related to the bone itself, and in some cases nerve involvement plays a role. That’s why proper evaluation is so important.
Ruling Out Stress Fractures
When a runner presents with shin pain, one of the first priorities is making sure it’s not a stress fracture. Stress fractures are small fractures (most likely in the tibia) caused by repetitive overload, and they’re more common in running populations — especially with high mileage or sudden spikes in training volume.
Signs that raise concern for a stress fracture include:
Pain localized to a small, pinpoint spot on the shin
Pain that continues at rest or at night
Sharp pain with impact (walking, running, jumping)
Pain that worsens despite rest or activity modification
If these red flags show up, further evaluation including imaging (X-ray or MRI) may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis and guide care.
Common Misconceptions About Shin Splints
Because shin splints is a catch-all term, there’s a lot of confusion around what they actually mean. Here are a few myths we often hear:
Myth 1: “It’s always just a muscle issue.”
Truth: Shin pain can come from muscles, connective tissue, nerves, or bone stress. Each requires a slightly different management plan.
Myth 2: “You just need new shoes.”
Truth: Footwear can contribute, but shin splints usually develop from a combination of factors like training errors, strength imbalances, and mechanics. Shoes alone rarely fix the problem.
Myth 3: “Just rest until it feels better.”
Truth: Rest may calm down symptoms (and is needed for a stress fracture), but without addressing the root cause, the pain often returns once you get back to running.
Why Runners Get Shin Splints
At the root, shin splints often happen when the capacity of the tissues (bone, muscle, or nerve) is surpassed by the demands of training. In other words, the area can’t tolerate the load being placed on it.
For many runners, this comes down to the classic mistake of “too much, too soon.” Sudden increases in mileage, speed work, or number of training sessions can overload the shin before it has had time to adapt.
Couple that with insufficient recovery — things like:
Not enough sleep
Stacking hard training days back-to-back without easy days in between
Skipping proper nutrition (especially carbs and protein for tissue repair) and not consuming enough calories to support your activities
…and the tissues simply don’t have the chance to recover, adapt, and get stronger. The result: irritation and pain along the shin.
Preventing & Rehabbing Shin Splints
At our clinic, we take a comprehensive approach to both prevention and rehab — because the best way to treat shin splints is to address the “why” behind them.
1. Soft Tissue Therapy
We use hands-on techniques like massage, cupping, and scraping to release tight muscles in the calves, shins, and feet. This improves blood flow, decreases irritation, and helps to alleviate pain.
2. Corrective Exercise & Rehab
Rehab exercises are a key part of recovery. For shin splints, this often includes:
Strengthening the calves, tibialis anterior, and hips
Foot stability drills to control arch collapse
Balance and single-leg strength work
Gradual return-to-run progressions
3. Load Management
Instead of stopping all activity, we guide you through modifying your running volume and intensity so you can stay active while allowing tissues to adapt. This is the essential final puzzle piece to preventing shin splints when returning to normal activites and training.
Key Takeaways for Runners
Shin splints is a broad term describing shin pain — causes can be muscular, bone-related, or even nerve-driven.
Ruling out a stress fracture is an important first step, especially for runners.
Shin splints often come from “too much, too soon,” combined with insufficient recovery.
Rest alone won’t solve the problem — strength, mobility, and mechanics need to be addressed.
With the right treatment and rehab plan, runners can recover and return to training pain-free.
Final Note
Shin splints don’t have to derail your training. If you’re dealing with nagging shin pain or want to prevent it from happening, we can help. Our approach combines soft tissue therapy, personalized rehab, and performance-based strategies to keep you moving and running strong.
If shin pain is slowing you down, book an appointment today so we can get you back to pain-free running.
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