01/06/2026
Shin splints are one of the most common running injuries we see and one of the most mismanaged. 🦵
The typical story goes like this: started a new running program, built up too quickly, felt that familiar ache along the shin, kept going because it "warmed up" after a few minutes, and now it hurts before, during AND after running and isn't settling with rest.
Sound familiar?
The frustrating thing about shin splints is that rest alone rarely solves the problem. It settles the symptoms but does nothing about the reason they developed in the first place. Weak hip and glute muscles. Poor calf flexibility. Overpronating feet. A training program that ramped up too fast. Come back to running without addressing those factors and you're back to square one within weeks.
The other thing worth knowing is that shin splints exist on a spectrum that ends with stress fractures. If your pain is sharp, pinpoint, and doesn't ease when you run, that's a different conversation entirely and needs to be ruled out properly.
The good news is that when managed correctly, most people recover fully and come back running stronger than before because the rehab process fixes weaknesses that were always there, just waiting to become a problem.
Swipe through for everything you need to know 👆 and save this if you're a runner 📌
Drop a 🙋 in the comments if you've dealt with this one before!
