Shin splints, medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), is a common overuse injury in people who do activities involving repetitive impact on the legs, such as running, jumping and dancing. If you are wondering how to treat shin splints properly, the good news is that most cases respond well to the right combination of rest, load management and rehabilitation.
This guide walks through seven steps to treat shin splints and return to running safely.
What Are Shin Splints?
MTSS relates to repeated microdamage in the cortical bone of the lower tibia. There is typically an overlying periostitis at the site, which is inflammation of the periosteum, the tissue covering the outer surface of the bone.
Someone with shin splints will usually feel pain along the inner and lower part of the shinbone, or tibia. This can come with tenderness or throbbing in the same area, particularly during or after activity. The main risk factors are a significant increase in training load or volume, and high-impact exercise.
How to Treat Shin Splints: 7 Steps
1. Rest and Activity Modification
Avoid the activities that aggravate the pain and reduce the load on the area by cutting back on high-impact, repetitive, load-bearing exercise. Giving your legs time to settle is the foundation of shin splints treatment.
2. Ice the Area
Apply an ice pack to the painful area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day as needed, to help manage discomfort.
3. Manage the Pain
Over-the-counter pain relief such as ibuprofen can help with pain and discomfort in the short term. Follow the dosage instructions and seek advice from a pharmacist or doctor if you are unsure, particularly if you take other medication.
4. See a Physiotherapist
A physiotherapist can provide manual therapy, appropriate gentle stretching, and strengthening exercises for the muscles around your lower leg to improve support and stability. They can also address muscle imbalances and guide your biomechanics to reduce the chance of re-injury.
5. Check Your Footwear
Make sure you are wearing supportive footwear appropriate for your foot type. A specialist running store can fit you for a shoe that suits how your foot moves.
6. Keep Fit With Low-Impact Training
To maintain your fitness while resting from impact, swap in low-impact options such as cycling or swimming. This keeps your conditioning up without loading the shin.
7. Return to Running Gradually
A gradual return to running is important with this condition. Once the pain settles, slowly reintroduce the activity that caused the shin splints, starting with low-impact work and building intensity and duration over time. This is best done with a physiotherapist monitoring and structuring your return to running.
What Happens if Shin Splints Are Left Untreated?
Shin splints left untreated can lead to several problems, including chronic pain, stress fractures in the tibia, compromised performance, muscle imbalances, a higher risk of recurrence, and a longer recovery overall.
This is worth taking seriously. Persistent shin pain that is not settling, or that becomes more focal and points to one specific spot, can indicate a bone stress injury rather than ordinary shin splints. If that sounds like your situation, our guide on how to tell shin splints from a serious bone injury explains the warning signs.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Recovery from shin splints takes time and patience. Being consistent with your treatment and listening to your body as you gradually return to activity is what gets you back running and keeps you there.
Our general physiotherapy team can assess your shin pain and build a treatment plan around it. For runners, our sports physiotherapy team structures return-to-running specifically, and you can see the full range of our physiotherapy and rehabilitation services too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you treat shin splints at home?
Early on, focus on rest and activity modification, icing the area, and swapping high-impact exercise for low-impact options like cycling or swimming. If the pain is not improving within a couple of weeks, or it is getting worse, it is worth having it assessed.
How long do shin splints take to heal?
It varies with severity and how well load is managed. Many cases settle over a few weeks with appropriate rest and rehabilitation, but rushing back to running too soon is the most common reason they return.
Can I run with shin splints?
Running through shin splints usually makes them worse and risks progression to a stress fracture. A gradual, structured return to running once symptoms settle is the safer approach, ideally guided by a physiotherapist.
What happens if shin splints are left untreated?
Untreated shin splints can lead to chronic pain, stress fractures in the tibia, and a higher chance of recurrence. Addressing the load and biomechanics early is what prevents a minor issue from becoming a long-term one.
Book an Appointment
Book an appointment at BeFit Training Physiotherapy. No referral needed.
BeFit Training Physiotherapy Edgecliff
Ground Floor, 287-289 New South Head Road, Edgecliff NSW 2027
Phone: (02) 9327 7749
BeFit Training Physiotherapy Coogee
Shop 1/2 Byron Street, Coogee NSW 2034
Phone: (02) 7205 2805
