This page provides general health information and does not diagnose an individual condition. Persistent, worsening or concerning symptoms should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health professional.
What are shin splints?
“Shin splints” is the common name for exercise-related pain along the inner border of the shin bone. The clinical term most often used is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). It is common in runners and people who have recently increased impact exercise.
What does it feel like?
- Pain or tenderness along the inner side of the shin.
- An ache during running or impact exercise.
- Tenderness spread over a broader length of shin rather than one very focal point.
- Occasional mild swelling.
Why does it happen?
Common contributors include sudden increases in training distance, speed, hills or frequency, return after a break, surface or footwear changes, reduced calf/lower-limb capacity and inadequate recovery.
Shin splints versus stress fracture
A bone stress injury can produce similar symptoms. MTSS tenderness is often more diffuse, while a stress fracture may be more focal, but that distinction is not reliable enough to self-diagnose.
What should you do?
- Temporarily reduce the impact activity that provokes pain.
- Use tolerated lower-impact exercise to maintain fitness.
- Review recent training changes and footwear.
- Build calf and lower-limb strength progressively.
- Return to impact activity gradually when everyday walking is comfortable.
Seek assessment if pain is focal, severe, present at rest or at night, worsening despite reduced activity, associated with swelling, or makes normal walking painful.
The Footpath Health approach
Footpath Health is designed to help you move from a symptom or question toward an appropriate next step without pretending that an online article can make an individual diagnosis. Depending on the problem, that next step may be self-management, podiatry, physiotherapy or GP assessment, imaging or specialist care.
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