Shin Splints: Why They Happen and How I Recovered Smarter
Shin splints are one of the most common issues newer or returning runners experience, especially when training volume increases faster than the body can adapt. The pain along the front or inner shin is the body’s early signal that tissues are being overloaded.
About Shin Splints
Why They Happen
Shin splints usually come from several factors working together, such as:
- Rapid increase in mileage or intensity
- Tight calves or limited ankle mobility
- Weak tibialis and intrinsic foot stabilizers
- Hard running surfaces or worn-out footwear
- Low baseline activity before starting high-impact training
This is essentially a load tolerance mismatch: the body is being asked to handle forces it hasn’t yet built capacity for.
Early Strategies That Help
The key is not to stop training altogether, but to temporarily lower impact while improving strength and mobility. Helpful strategies include:
- Reducing mileage or using run-walk intervals
- Icing the area after training to manage irritation
- Short rest / recovery days to let tissues settle before loading again
- Mobility work for calves and ankles
- Tibialis and foot strengthening
- Cross-training (bike/elliptical/swim) to maintain cardio without pounding
- Soft tissue work / massage to reduce tension and improve circulation
These allow the irritated tissues to calm down while still keeping training momentum.
When to See a PT
It’s recommended to get evaluated by a physical therapist when:
- Pain persists beyond 1–2 weeks despite modifying training
- Pain starts earlier in the run instead of later
- There is sharp, pinpoint tenderness (possible stress reaction)
- There is swelling, gait change, numbness, or tingling
A PT can identify gait mechanics, loading patterns, and muscular imbalances that contribute to the problem and help build a gradual, safe return-to-running plan.
From PT to Patient: How I Recovered Smarter
I’ve actually dealt with shin splints myself when I started increasing mileage. Even with a PT background, I still learned the hard way that the body needs time to adapt.
What helped me was scaling back the impact for a bit: shorter runs, run-walk intervals, a couple of recovery days when it flared, and icing right after training. I paired that with ankle/calf mobility and tibialis strengthening so I wasn’t just resting, I was rebuilding tolerance.
Once the irritation settled and my capacity improved, I was able to return to full running. And recently finished my 10K… in the rain. A nice reminder that smart adjustments beat “pushing through” every time.
– Mina, Clinic Virtual Assistant (Licensed PT – Philippines)
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