Shin Splints: When Should You Stop Running?

pening to the tendon?

“Shin splints” is a term runners use for pain along the inside of the shin, often associated with medial tibial stress syndrome.

But there is an important catch:

Not every painful shin is shin splints.



Sometimes shin pain can represent a bone stress injury, and distinguishing between the two matters.

What does typical shin splint pain feel like?

Medial tibial stress syndrome commonly produces pain along a broader area of the inner border of the tibia. Symptoms may initially occur during running before settling afterwards.

Common contributors include sudden changes in:

• weekly kilometres
• running frequency
• speed
• hills
• training surfaces
• recovery

When are we more concerned?

Pain deserves greater attention when it becomes:

• very localised to one small area
• progressively worse
• painful with hopping
• painful during normal walking
• present at rest
• consistently appearing earlier during runs

These features may increase suspicion of a bone stress injury.

Should you run through shin splints?

It depends.

Mild symptoms may sometimes be managed by modifying training while improving calf and lower-limb capacity.

Progressively worsening or highly localised pain should not simply be repeatedly “tested” with another run.

What should rehab focus on?

Management may include:

• adjusting running load
• calf strengthening
• soleus strengthening
• hip and lower-limb strength
• reviewing recent training changes
• gradual return to impact
• reviewing nutrition and recovery where appropriate

The important part is identifying why your shin has become overloaded rather than simply waiting for the pain to disappear.

Related Articles

• Bone Stress Injuries
• Running Assessment