Shin Splints: What Causes Shin Pain and How Is It Treated?
3 October 2026
By Mark Reyneker, BTech (Podiatry), MSc (Palaeontology), Registered Podiatrist, Foot & Gait Specialist | Founder & Clinical Director, Family Podiatry Centre
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Published: 03 October 2026 | Last reviewed: 03 October 2026
Shin Splints: What Causes Shin Pain and How Is It Treated?
Pain along the shin is extremely common in runners and people who participate in repetitive impact exercise. It may appear after increasing running distance, returning to sport after a break, beginning a new exercise programme, or simply doing more walking, jumping or training than usual. Most people describe this type of pain as shin splints.
Medically, the condition usually being referred to is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS): exercise-related pain and tenderness along the inner border of the tibia, the large bone running down the front and inside of the lower leg.
Shin splints are usually an overuse problem rather than the result of one particular injury. They develop when repeated loading through the lower leg exceeds the ability of the tibia and surrounding tissues to adapt and recover.
However, not every painful shin is caused by shin splints. Stress fractures, chronic exertional compartment syndrome, muscle injuries and nerve problems can produce pain in a similar part of the leg. Understanding where the pain is, when it occurs, how localised it is and what changed before it started can therefore provide important clues.
What are shin splints?
The term shin splints is commonly used to describe medial tibial stress syndrome. MTSS usually causes exercise-related pain along the posteromedial border of the tibia — the inner and slightly rear-facing edge of the shin bone. One of its characteristic clinical features is that tenderness extends over a relatively broad section of the tibia rather than one very small point.
A widely used diagnostic definition includes:
- exercise-induced pain along the medial tibial border; and
- tenderness over at least 5 consecutive centimetres of the tibia.
Research has shown that MTSS can often be diagnosed reliably from the clinical history and physical examination without imaging being required in every patient (Winters et al., 2018).
Where do shin splints hurt?
The pain is usually felt along the inside of the lower shin. Many patients can run several fingers along a tender region of the tibia rather than identify one tiny painful point. The pain can occur in one leg or both legs.
In the early stages it may:
In the early stages it may:
- begin after running for a period of time;
- appear towards the end of training;
- be more noticeable immediately after exercise;
- improve with rest.
If the condition progresses, the pain may begin:
- earlier during exercise;
- with shorter running distances;
- during walking;
- or remain noticeable for longer after activity.
The area can also become tender when pressed.
What do shin splints feel like?
People describe the pain differently, but common descriptions include:
- aching;
- soreness;
- tenderness;
- throbbing;
- a dull pain along the bone;
- discomfort when starting a run;
- pain after exercise.
The pattern of symptoms is often more useful diagnostically than the exact word used to describe the pain. For example, a broad ache along the medial tibia has a different clinical significance from intense pain located at one very small point.
Why do shin splints happen?
Shin splints are best understood as a load-related problem. Running, jumping and even prolonged fast walking repeatedly load the tibia. This is normally beneficial. Bone is living tissue. Mechanical loading stimulates it to remodel and become better adapted to the demands placed upon it.
The problem develops when the amount or frequency of loading increases faster than the body can adapt. A useful way of thinking about this is: Training demand > current tissue capacity = increased risk of symptoms
The problem develops when the amount or frequency of loading increases faster than the body can adapt. A useful way of thinking about this is: Training demand > current tissue capacity = increased risk of symptoms
This explains why shin splints frequently appear after a change in activity rather than following a single traumatic injury. Common examples include:
suddenly increasing weekly running distance;
suddenly increasing weekly running distance;
- returning to running after several weeks or months away;
- adding interval sessions;
- introducing hills;
- increasing running frequency;
- starting military training;
- increasing court or field-sport sessions;
- adding jumping exercises;
- beginning a new fitness programme.
The absolute amount of exercise is therefore only part of the picture. Five kilometers may be a very small training load for an experienced runner but a substantial musculoskeletal load for someone who has only recently started running.
What is happening to the tibia?
The tibia does not behave like an inert metal pole. It is a living structure that experiences repeated compression and bending during running. Every stride creates forces through the lower leg. Muscles surrounding the tibia help manage those forces, while bone tissue continually remodels in response to loading.
Research into MTSS suggests that symptoms may involve a combination of:
Research into MTSS suggests that symptoms may involve a combination of:
- repetitive tibial loading;
- bone remodelling;
- periosteal stress;
- muscular forces;
- and the ability of the lower leg to absorb and control load.
Studies of athletes with long-standing MTSS have identified reduced bone mineral density within symptomatic regions of the tibia, with density subsequently improving after recovery (Magnusson et al., 2001; Magnusson et al., 2003).
This does not mean that every case of shin splints is a stress fracture. Rather, it illustrates that the bone itself appears to participate in the condition and that the relationship between loading and bone adaptation is important.
This does not mean that every case of shin splints is a stress fracture. Rather, it illustrates that the bone itself appears to participate in the condition and that the relationship between loading and bone adaptation is important.
Are shin splints a bone injury?
MTSS and tibial stress fractures are clinically different diagnoses, but they share an important feature: both are associated with repetitive loading of the tibia. It can therefore be useful to think of tibial loading as occurring along a continuum.
At one end, normal training produces healthy adaptation. If repetitive loading increases beyond the capacity for adequate recovery, symptoms may develop. At the more severe end of bone stress, a stress reaction or stress fracture can occur. This is one reason persistent shin pain should not simply be ignored.
Why does running put stress through the shin?
When the foot hits the ground during running, forces travel through the foot, ankle and lower limb. The tibia experiences:
- compression;
- bending;
- torsion;
- and forces generated by muscular contraction.
The lower-leg muscles therefore play an important role in helping the tibia tolerate repetitive loading.
Research in runners with MTSS has identified differences in lower-leg muscle structure, strength and endurance, including reduced plantar-flexor endurance in symptomatic runners. Because these studies are largely observational, it remains uncertain whether these differences contribute to MTSS or develop as a consequence of the condition (Mattock, Steele and Mickle, 2021). The important point is that bone, muscle and movement mechanics function together.
Who is more likely to develop shin splints?
MTSS is particularly common among:
- runners;
- military recruits;
- dancers;
- football players;
- basketball and netball players;
- racquet-sport athletes;
- people beginning exercise programmes.
Research has identified a range of possible risk factors.
These include:
- previous MTSS;
- greater navicular drop;
- higher body mass or BMI in some populations;
- certain foot-posture characteristics;
- changes in arch height during movement;
- and differences in lower-limb strength or mechanics.
A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis found associations between MTSS and several variables including Foot Posture Index, dynamic arch-height change during walking and some strength and range-of-motion measures (Lee et al., 2025). Importantly, there is no single measurement that explains every case. MTSS is considered multifactorial.
Can flat feet cause shin splints?
Foot mechanics can contribute to shin splints, but having flat feet does not automatically mean somebody will develop them. Research has repeatedly identified measures related to foot pronation, including increased navicular drop, as being associated with greater MTSS risk in some populations.
More recent research has similarly found associations with foot posture and dynamic changes in arch height. But association is not the same as inevitability. Many people with low arches never experience shin pain. Conversely, somebody can develop MTSS without having dramatically flat feet. The clinically useful question is therefore not simply: “Is the foot flat?”
It is:
“How is this particular foot loading and moving during walking or running, and could that loading pattern be increasing demand on the tibia?”.
This is why dynamic gait assessment can sometimes provide more useful information than looking at the foot only while standing.
This is why dynamic gait assessment can sometimes provide more useful information than looking at the foot only while standing.
Can poor running technique cause shin splints?
Running mechanics may contribute in certain people. Variables such as stride length, cadence, lower-limb alignment, rearfoot movement and loading rate can affect how forces travel through the tibia.
However, there is no single “correct” running style that prevents MTSS. Changing running technique should therefore be based on an identifiable mechanical reason rather than assuming everyone with shin pain needs to run differently. Gait retraining can be useful in selected runners, particularly when an obvious mechanical feature appears to be contributing to tibial load.
Can shoes cause shin splints?
Shoes can influence how forces are distributed through the foot and lower limb, but footwear is rarely the sole explanation.
A runner may notice symptoms after:
- changing to a very different shoe;
- changing heel-to-toe drop;
- changing cushioning characteristics;
- changing from a conventional to minimalist shoe;
- using worn footwear;
- or dramatically increasing activity at the same time as changing shoes.
It is therefore worth considering footwear as part of the overall clinical picture. The best running shoe is not necessarily the shoe with the most cushioning or the most support. It is the shoe that works appropriately with the individual runner, their foot mechanics, their training and their symptoms.
How can you tell shin splints from a stress fracture?
This is one of the most important distinctions when evaluating shin pain.
Shin splints
MTSS usually causes:
- relatively diffuse pain;
- tenderness extending along several centimetres of the medial tibia;
- pain related to repetitive activity;
- symptoms that may settle when loading is reduced.
Tibial stress fracture
A stress fracture is more concerning when there is:
- pain concentrated in one small area;
- very focal bone tenderness;
- worsening pain with continued activity;
- pain during ordinary walking;
- pain at rest;
- night pain;
- or symptoms that fail to improve despite reducing exercise.
There can be overlap, particularly in earlier bone stress injuries, so clinical judgement is important. When a stress fracture is suspected, imaging may be required. MRI is generally more useful than a normal early X-ray for detecting bone stress injury.
What else can cause shin pain?
Several conditions can resemble shin splints.
Tibial stress injury
Bone stress can progress from a stress response towards a stress fracture. Pain generally becomes more focal as the injury becomes more significant.
Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
This commonly causes tightness, pressure, cramping or bursting discomfort during exercise.
Some patients also experience:
- tingling;
- numbness;
- weakness;
- or altered foot control.
Symptoms often occur predictably after a particular amount of exercise and improve after stopping.
Muscle injury
The soleus and other calf muscles can produce pain close to the tibia. Muscular pain may behave differently during resisted testing, stretching and palpation.
Nerve irritation
Burning, tingling, numbness or electrical sensations are less typical of uncomplicated MTSS and warrant assessment.
Vascular conditions
These are less common but should be considered when exercise-induced leg pain is associated with unusual cramping, temperature change, colour change or altered circulation.
These are less common but should be considered when exercise-induced leg pain is associated with unusual cramping, temperature change, colour change or altered circulation.
How are shin splints diagnosed?
MTSS is primarily a clinical diagnosis. A podiatrist, sports physician or other suitably trained clinician will usually begin by determining:
- exactly where the pain occurs;
- whether it is localised or diffuse;
- when it appears;
- how long it lasts;
- whether walking is painful;
- whether training recently changed;
- and whether neurological or vascular symptoms are present.
The medial border of the tibia is then examined. Diffuse tenderness extending over more than approximately 5 cm supports a diagnosis of MTSS. A 2018 study showed that an appropriate history and physical examination can diagnose MTSS with high inter-clinician reliability (Winters et al., 2018).
Do shin splints require an X-ray or MRI?
Usually not. If the history and examination are typical of MTSS, imaging may not be necessary.
Imaging becomes more important when:
Imaging becomes more important when:
- pain is highly localised;
- a stress fracture is suspected;
- symptoms occur during walking or at rest;
- symptoms are worsening;
- the diagnosis is uncertain;
- or recovery is unexpectedly slow.
MRI can detect bone-marrow and periosteal changes associated with tibial stress. However, imaging always needs to be interpreted alongside the clinical examination because imaging abnormalities can occasionally occur in active people who have no symptoms.
How are shin splints treated?
There is no single treatment that works for everybody.
The overall objective is to:
- reduce excessive tibial loading;
- allow symptoms to settle;
- address relevant contributing factors;
- rebuild lower-leg capacity;
- progressively restore impact activity.
A 2026 systematic review of non-invasive treatments in runners found only three eligible randomised trials involving 130 runners. The evidence was low to very low certainty, and no treatment was clearly superior overall (Teles et al., 2026). That makes individualised treatment and progressive load management particularly important.
1. Modify the activity that is causing the pain
The first step is usually to reduce the activity that repeatedly provokes symptoms. This does not automatically mean stopping all exercise. Depending on the severity of symptoms, alternatives may include:
- cycling;
- swimming;
- rowing;
- resistance training;
- or other activities that do not reproduce shin pain.
The amount of running that can continue safely varies from person to person.
2. Review recent changes in training
One of the most useful questions is: What changed before the pain started?
Look at:
- weekly distance;
- number of runs;
- running speed;
- interval training;
- hill work;
- jumping;
- sport sessions;
- surfaces;
- gym training;
- recovery days.
Often there has been a meaningful increase somewhere, even if total running distance appears similar.
3. Rebuild strength and lower-leg capacity
Rehabilitation frequently includes strengthening the muscles of the calf, ankle and foot. Depending on the assessment, this may include:
- calf raises;
- soleus-focused exercises;
- foot and ankle strengthening;
- balance exercises;
- progressive resistance training;
- and eventually impact-related drills.
The objective is not simply to strengthen one muscle. It is to increase the capacity of the lower limb to tolerate repeated loading.
4. Assess foot and lower-limb biomechanics
Where symptoms are recurrent or persistent, gait and foot mechanics may be relevant.
Assessment may include:
Assessment may include:
- foot posture;
- ankle movement;
- pronation behaviour;
- plantar-pressure distribution;
- stride characteristics;
- lower-limb alignment;
- and footwear.
This is particularly useful when the patient has repeatedly returned to activity only for the shin pain to recur.
5. Can orthotics help shin splints?
Yes, in selected patients. Foot orthoses can alter the way forces are distributed through the foot and lower limb. A randomised controlled trial found that arch-support orthoses used alongside multimodal treatment produced greater short-term improvements in pain than sham orthoses, although the additional effect was no longer evident at longer follow-up (Naderi et al., 2022).
The most recent 2026 systematic review similarly concluded that arch-support orthoses combined with multimodal care may reduce pain in the short term, but the effect is not clearly sustained (Teles et al., 2026). Orthotics therefore make the most sense when there is an identifiable biomechanical reason for using them rather than simply because somebody has shin pain.
The most recent 2026 systematic review similarly concluded that arch-support orthoses combined with multimodal care may reduce pain in the short term, but the effect is not clearly sustained (Teles et al., 2026). Orthotics therefore make the most sense when there is an identifiable biomechanical reason for using them rather than simply because somebody has shin pain.
6. What about stretching?
Stretching can be useful if a patient has a relevant mobility restriction. However, stretching alone is unlikely to address all of the factors responsible for MTSS.
For example, stretching will not correct:
For example, stretching will not correct:
- a sudden training increase;
- insufficient recovery;
- poor lower-leg strength;
- inappropriate loading;
- or a significant biomechanical problem.
It may therefore form part of rehabilitation rather than being the entire treatment.
7. What about ice?
Ice may temporarily reduce discomfort after activity. That can be useful for symptom relief. However, ice does not increase the tibia's capacity to tolerate running. The more important long-term issue is controlling the amount of load reaching the symptomatic tissues and then gradually rebuilding their ability to tolerate that load.
8. Does shockwave therapy help?
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy has been investigated for MTSS, but evidence remains limited. Earlier studies generated interest in the treatment, but subsequent controlled research has not established shockwave as a definitive treatment. It may be considered in selected cases, but it should usually be viewed as one possible component of management rather than a substitute for addressing training and mechanical factors.
How long do shin splints take to heal?
There is no universal recovery time. A mild recent episode may improve relatively quickly if the triggering training load is identified and modified early. Long-standing or recurrent cases may take substantially longer.
Recovery depends on factors such as:
Recovery depends on factors such as:
- duration of symptoms;
- severity;
- training demands;
- bone health;
- biomechanical contributors;
- strength and conditioning;
- and how consistently provocative activity is controlled.
The important objective is not simply to become pain-free while resting. It is to become capable of tolerating the required activity again.
When can I start running again?
Return to running should usually be progressive. Before rebuilding significant running volume, a patient should generally be able to manage normal daily walking comfortably and show substantial improvement in tibial tenderness. Running can then be reintroduced gradually. Walk-run intervals can be useful initially because they provide controlled exposure to impact.
When increasing training, consider the response:
When increasing training, consider the response:
- during the run;
- later that day;
- and the following morning.
If symptoms progressively increase, the loading step was probably too large. Speed, hills and intensive interval training are usually reintroduced after basic running tolerance has been restored.
Is the 10% running rule useful?
The popular advice to increase running by no more than 10% each week provides a simple framework, but it should not be treated as a biological law. People adapt at different rates. The appropriate increase depends on:
- training history;
- age;
- current conditioning;
- injury history;
- recovery;
- sleep;
- surface;
- intensity;
- and the overall amount of sport and exercise being performed.
A runner who tolerates a particular increase easily does not necessarily demonstrate that the same increase is appropriate for another runner.
Can shin splints come back?
Yes. A history of MTSS is itself a recognised risk factor for developing it again. Recurrence commonly happens when the pain settles but the factors that produced the overload remain unchanged.
For example:
Pain develops → running stops → pain disappears → previous running volume resumes immediately → pain returns.
For example:
Pain develops → running stops → pain disappears → previous running volume resumes immediately → pain returns.
Rest can reduce symptoms. But rest alone does not necessarily improve running capacity. This is why progressive rehabilitation and return to activity are important.
Can shin splints be prevented?
No strategy can guarantee prevention, but several sensible measures may reduce risk.
These include:
- building running volume progressively;
- avoiding sudden large changes in training;
- strengthening the calf and lower limb;
- maintaining adequate recovery;
- reviewing footwear when appropriate;
- and addressing relevant biomechanical factors.
A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis involving more than 8,000 participants found evidence that neuromuscular training and overpronation-targeted insoles reduced MTSS incidence in the populations studied. Much of the available prevention research comes from military populations, however, so the findings should not automatically be generalised to every recreational runner (Marques et al., 2025).
When should you have shin pain assessed?
Shin pain should be professionally assessed when:
- it keeps returning;
- it continues despite reducing exercise;
- it is becoming progressively worse;
- the pain is concentrated in one small spot;
- walking is painful;
- pain occurs at rest or at night;
- there is swelling;
- there is numbness or tingling;
- or you are unsure whether the symptoms really are shin splints.
These features increase the importance of ruling out conditions such as tibial bone stress injury or chronic exertional compartment syndrome.
The important point
Shin splints are common, particularly in runners and people performing repetitive impact activity. In most cases the term refers to medial tibial stress syndrome, characterised by exercise-related pain and diffuse tenderness along the inner border of the tibia.
The condition usually develops because the loading demands placed on the lower leg have exceeded its current capacity to adapt. That loading may be influenced by:
The condition usually develops because the loading demands placed on the lower leg have exceeded its current capacity to adapt. That loading may be influenced by:
- training volume;
- running intensity;
- foot mechanics;
- muscular capacity;
- footwear;
- recovery;
- and individual anatomy.
For this reason, good treatment is rarely based on one intervention alone. The most useful approach is to determine why the tibia became overloaded in that particular person, reduce the excessive load, address relevant contributing factors and progressively rebuild the capacity to run or exercise again.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
About the Author
Mark B. Reyneker, BTech (Podiatry), MSc (Palaeontology) is a podiatrist and Founder & Clinical Director of Family Podiatry Centre, with more than 25 years of clinical experience across South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore. His clinical interests include foot and lower-limb pain, gait and biomechanics, sports-related foot conditions, orthotic therapy and footwear.
Alongside his clinical practice, Mark conducts research into human gait and foot biomechanics. His MSc research at the University of the Witwatersrand investigated human propulsion and the structural properties of the metatarsals. He is also the inventor of A Foot Orthotic, an orthotic technology developed through an international patent family.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Shin splints usually refer to medial tibial stress syndrome, a condition causing exercise-related pain and tenderness along the inner border of the shin bone.
The pain is usually felt along the inner side of the lower tibia and tends to extend over a broader area rather than one tiny point.
Shin splints generally develop when repetitive loading through the tibia exceeds the lower leg's current ability to adapt and recover. Rapid increases in running, jumping or exercise are common triggers.
Shin splints usually cause diffuse tenderness over several centimetres of the tibia. A stress fracture is more likely to produce very localised pain and may eventually hurt during walking or at rest.
Foot pronation and arch mechanics can contribute in some people, but flat feet are not the sole cause. Many people with low arches never develop shin splints.
Running often needs to be temporarily reduced or modified if it repeatedly causes pain. Complete rest is not always necessary, but the correct approach depends on symptom severity and diagnostic certainty.
Orthotics can help selected patients, particularly when foot mechanics appear to contribute to tibial loading. Current research suggests they may provide short-term benefit when combined with a broader rehabilitation programme.
Recovery varies considerably. Mild cases may settle within weeks, while persistent or recurrent cases can require substantially longer rehabilitation.
MTSS and tibial stress fractures are different diagnoses, but both are related to repetitive tibial loading. Increasingly localised or persistent bone pain should therefore be assessed rather than assumed to be ordinary shin splints.
Assessment is advisable when shin pain keeps returning, becomes more localised or severe, hurts during walking, occurs at rest, or fails to improve after reducing activity.