Tips for Every Runner Wanting to Avoid Shin Splints

Shin splints are a common problem for many people who enjoy active lifestyles, including runners. In fact, data show that about a fifth of runners experience shin splints at some point in time, suffering from lower leg pain, swelling, and tenderness that can affect not only their running routine but also their everyday activities.

Shin splints happen when repetitive stress and overexertion cause microtrauma in the shin bone, muscles, and tendons in the lower leg. While TLC and medical treatment can help relieve shin splints, ideally, you want to do all you can to avoid shin splints in the first place.

At Advanced Spine and Pain Center, our team helps patients relieve painful shin splints with medical treatments, activity modification, and other therapies focused on healing injuries and restoring limb strength. Here, learn nine simple tips that can help you avoid shin splints in the future.

1. Choose the right shoes

Your shoes can also play a major role in helping prevent shin splints and other running-related issues. It’s important to make sure your shoes fit your feet properly without causing pinching or friction. Choose high-quality shoes designed specifically for running and replace them regularly—certainly at the earliest signs of wear or even before.

2. Be picky about your terrain

Running involves a lot of repetitive impacts, and when those impacts occur on hard surfaces like concrete or pavement, your shins can take a real beating. When possible, choose softer running surfaces, like dirt trails or grass. These surfaces absorb some of the impact, sparing your feet and legs.

3. Warm up and cool down

Warming up can seem like a waste of precious time when you're ready to run. But taking time to stretch and do some light exercise before running warms up your muscles and increases circulation in your legs and feet, preparing them for the strain. Cooling down is important, too, as well as bringing your legs back to “normal” following exertion. Both are important for avoiding shin splints.

4. Increase activity gradually

It's natural to want to test yourself and explore new limits, but doing so too quickly can strain your muscles and bones, leading to shin splints and even stress fractures. Instead, gradually ramp up your activity and intensity to give your body time to adjust and build strength and flexibility.

5. Strengthen your lower legs

Speaking of strength, focusing on building muscle in your legs can also decrease the risk of shin splints. Strong muscles take some of the strain off your bones, decreasing the risk of tiny microfractures. Toe raises, heel drops, and other exercises focused on your calf muscles are ideal for preparing your legs and feet for the stress and strain of running.

6. Consider cross training

In addition to focusing on your legs, it's important to cross-train, too. Swimming, bicycling, pilates, and yoga strengthen your core muscles and build endurance and flexibility, keeping you fit and toned while reducing strain on your legs. Cross-training also gives your legs a rest between workouts so they have time to heal.

7. Give your legs time to recover

Recovery is an important part of any exercise routine, including running. Make recovery part of your routine by regularly taking days off from your sport to give your muscles time to heal. If you feel discomfort while running or working out, stop immediately and give your body the rest it needs to avoid injury.

8. Ask about orthotics

If you have shin splints regularly, your feet could be to blame. If you have very high arches, flat feet, or problems with your gait, you can also be more likely to suffer from shin splints. Custom orthotics are designed to correct overstrain caused by foot and gait abnormalities — and best of all, they can be tailored to fit your running shoes for greater comfort and stability.

9. Seek medical treatment for repeat problems

If you have shin splints routinely or you have symptoms that won’t go away or are getting worse, medical treatment is your best bet for preventing more serious problems, like fractures. To learn how we can help you keep your shin splints at bay, book an appointment online or over the phone with the team at our three locations in San Antonio, Texas, today.