Shin pain can be relentless. Ongoing shin pain that stops you doing the exercise you love. You have probably tried to rest up and hope for the best, which settles it, but as soon as you get back into training it flares up again. This guide explains how to recover from shin splints, what causes them, the best shin splints treatment, and how to prevent them returning.
Shin splints, also called tibial stress syndrome, is a widely used term for stress to the tibia, or shin bone. This can appear in two areas: medially, with pain on the inside of the shin, or antero-laterally, with pain on the outside. Both behave similarly but involve different muscles that insert closely on either side of the tibia.
What Causes Shin Splints?
Too much, too soon. A rapid increase in load or frequency can irritate the muscles, tendons and soft tissues around the bone, creating the stress reaction behind shin splints and tibial stress syndrome.
Repetitive impact activity is usually the main culprit. Shin splints are a common injury in runners, but they also affect people who play sport on hard surfaces or do repetitive jumping. Even walkers can experience this kind of shin pain.
The Wrong Shoes
Footwear can be a contributor too. Are your shoes supportive enough, or is the issue related to your feet? This is where it helps to have your lower limb biomechanics assessed by a physio, to correct imbalances and get good advice on the right shoes for you.
How Long Do Shin Splints Take to Recover?
Everyone is different, so patience is key. Shin pain can start to ease as early as two to four weeks, though flare-ups may need managing as activity is progressively built back up. It can take a full three to six months to completely recover from shin splints and return to pain-free exercise. During this time, staying active by working around the injury matters as much as the rest.
What Is the Best Shin Splints Treatment?
The best shin splints treatment is prevention. Listen to your body, because pushing through shin pain is not usually the right approach. If you have already developed shin splints, here is what effective shin splints treatment focuses on.
Rest and Settle the Acute Stage
If shin pain starts to bother you, rest and give your body the recovery it needs. Ice can ease irritation and pain in the acute stage. Over-the-counter pain relief may help if pain is severe, though it is worth checking with a pharmacist or doctor first.
Release the Feet and Calves
Tight muscles and tissues around the shin can contribute, so using a mobility ball or foam roller to release the shin, calf and foot can be very effective.
Support the Foot
Your physio can show you taping techniques that support the shin and foot while relieving shin pain. A different pair of shoes better suited to your lower limb biomechanics can also give noticeable relief. Ask your physio which style would suit your feet.
Train Smart, Not Harder
Muscles adapt and get stronger with progressive overload, but they need recovery time between sessions to prevent injury. Train smarter by taking a day or two off each week and periodising your programme to vary intensity and volume, so you progress without triggering shin splints.
Address Lower Limb Biomechanics
Having your gait and lower limb biomechanics assessed can be the key to long-term prevention. An underlying issue such as foot posture, foot strike or stride length may be contributing to dysfunction in walking, running or jumping.
Strengthen the Feet and Lower Limbs
Getting stronger is always worthwhile. Target the calves, glutes and the whole lower limb, with particular focus on single-leg strength. Adding hopping and jumping endurance work helps prevent shin splints while also improving your running and jumping.
How to Recover From Shin Splints: Your Action Plan
1. Get Assessed by a Physiotherapist
Physios are trained neuromuscular experts who understand this condition. Our general physiotherapy team can assess and treat your shin pain, help you get stronger, and give you the advice and exercises to prevent it returning. For runners, our sports physiotherapy team manages this specifically.
2. Rest, Recover and Rebuild Strength
No pain, no gain is not a helpful approach here. A physio can calm the irritated tissues and assess any underlying issues, whether footwear, foot posture, lower limb biomechanics or a lack of strength. This lets you train smarter, increase load slowly, and recover from shin splints while preventing recurrence.
3. Do Your Exercises Daily
Exercise is like medicine, most effective done daily. Your physio will usually prescribe specific exercises that release tight tissues, strengthen weak muscles and rebuild endurance so you can safely return to running. Key examples include:
- Mobility: trigger ball on the feet, shin and calf
- Strength: eccentric calf lower off a step
- Endurance: single-leg hop
You can see the full range of our physiotherapy and rehabilitation services if you would like to know more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes shin splints?
Shin splints are usually caused by too much, too soon, a rapid increase in training load or frequency. Hard surfaces, repetitive jumping, unsupportive footwear and lower limb biomechanics can all contribute, but load is typically the central factor.
What is the best treatment for shin splints?
The most effective shin splints treatment combines rest in the acute stage, releasing tight calves and feet, addressing footwear and lower limb biomechanics, and progressively rebuilding strength. A physiotherapist can tailor this to what is driving your shin pain.
How long does it take to recover from shin splints?
Shin pain often eases within two to four weeks, but full recovery can take three to six months depending on severity and how load is managed. Staying active with low-impact exercise during this time helps.
How do I stop shin splints coming back?
Prevention comes down to increasing load gradually, maintaining lower limb strength, addressing your biomechanics and footwear, and not pushing through shin pain. Getting assessed early is what breaks the cycle of recurrence.
Related Reading
For more on shin splints, see our related guides: how to tell shin splints from a serious bone injury, how to treat shin splints in seven steps, and what causes shin splints and how to stop them returning.
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