Walking Injuries and Prevention How to Prevent and Treat Shin Splints From Walking By Wendy Bumgardner Updated on August 21, 2024 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Erin Pereira, PT, DPT Print Javier Diez / Stocksy Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Are Shin Splints? Symptoms of Shin Splints Causes of Shin Splints Relieving Shin Splint Pain Recovery Prevention Shin splints are common when embarking on a walking or running program, taking up dancing, or starting drills as a military recruit. Even if you are an experienced runner and walker, you may feel shin splints from walking or exercising when you kick it up a notch by increasing your speed or mileage. What Are Shin Splints? Shin splints are pains due to inflammation in your lower leg along the inner area of your shin bone brought on by exercise and caused by overuse of the muscles. The condition is also called medial tibial stress syndrome and is quite common, especially in runners, dancers, gymnasts, and those entering the military. Two types of shin splints—anterior and posterior—occur in separate areas and cause different issues with the leg. If left untreated, shin splints of either type can lead to a stress fracture or the muscle detaching from the bone. Anterior Shin Splints Posterior Shin Splints Occur in the tibialis anterior muscle (in the front of the shin) Occur in the tibialis posterior muscle (behind the shin) Irritation felt when walking and rotating foot outward Irritation felt when pronating when walking Worsens when weight is put on the foot Caused by calf tightness or foot/leg imbalances Symptoms of Shin Splints If you have shin splints, you may feel a sharp pain or dull ache inside your lower leg bone (the tibia) when performing physical activities like walking, running, or dancing. The pain may be felt more toward the front of your leg with anterior shin splints or the back of your leg in the case of posterior shin splints. There may also be slight swelling around the inside of the lower leg between your knee and ankle. Shin splints can be: Intense or dull and achingFelt during exercise or activityPainful or tender to the touchContinuous, leading to a stress fracture If your pain is continuous even at rest, and is left untreated, it can lead to a stress fracture. Be sure to tell your doctor about any lasting pain. Causes of Shin Splints Shin splints are an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and connective tissue caused by repetitive stress and overuse. Overuse can occur when you start a new activity without pacing yourself properly and gradually building up a tolerance to the exercise. Overuse can also happen if you don't have enough rest and recovery time between training sessions. Other factors include anatomical issues with your feet or stride and wearing the wrong footwear. Shin Splints From Walking Getting shin splints from walking is rare, but it can occur, especially if you are new to walking a lot or have increased your walking distance or speed. You may need to reduce your walking intensity or distance until the shin splints improve. Training Changes Shin splints may occur when you suddenly increase your physical activity, either with a new activity or by changing something in your current program. If you've added hills, uneven ground, or concrete surfaces to your running or walking route, you could be introducing too much stress too quickly to your body. The same goes if you've recently added more frequency, intensity, speed, or mileage to your training. Foot Shape The shape of your foot can play a role in your risk of shin splints from walking or running. For example, your foot's arch can be an added risk factor, with shin splints seen more in people with either flat feet or high, rigid arches. Improper Footwear Worn-out shoes or not having the correct shoes for your feet can increase the risk of shin splints. Stride Overstriding can also cause shin splints. Overstriding occurs when running and walking when you extend your leading foot too far forward. It not only stresses your shins, but it's also inefficient and won't help your speed. 8 Ways to Prevent Shin Splints When Running Relieving Shin Splint Pain You can usually relieve shin splint pain from walking or running with self-care techniques. Take these steps to treat the condition if it occurs: Rest Stop your activity at the first sign of shin splint pain until it alleviates. If you have to get back to your starting location, walk at an easy pace and try to walk on softer surfaces (rather than concrete). Dirt trails will be the softest, but asphalt is much better than concrete. If you have recurrent shin splints, take two to four weeks off from walking or running to allow your shins to heal. Use that time for activities such as swimming or biking, which won't stress your shins. How to Maintain Fitness While Recovering From an Injury Compression Garments Calf and shin compression may help prevent swelling and relieve shin pain from walking. Use an elastic bandage or shin and calf compression wrap, leg sleeves, or knee-high compression socks to support the lower leg. The Best Compression Socks Ice and Pain Relievers Use cold packs on your shins for 20 minutes at a time, several times each day, being careful to place a towel or fabric between your leg and the ice so the cold pack isn't in direct contact with your skin. Use an over-the-counter non-steroidal pain medication such as Advil (ibuprofen) if you have swelling or continuing pain. If you are taking medications, ask your doctor which pain reliever is best to relieve shin pain from walking. Heat Therapy and Massage After pain and swelling subside, which may take two to three days, use a heat therapy wrap for a few minutes before and after exercising, whether after you return to your normal walking and running activities or any other training. A deep tissue massage of the shin muscles and tendons may also help relieve shin pain from walking or running. Look for a sports massage professional to help with this if you think it would be beneficial. We Tested the Best Massage Guns—These 17 Came Out on Top Rehab Exercises Stretching and strengthening the calf muscles can help treat and prevent shin splints, as tight calf muscles can cause shin splints from walking. Toe raises and lower leg stretches can help build the surrounding muscles and improve flexibility to overcome shin splint pain. Using a calf stretcher is another good option. Consult a physical therapist to learn exercises and techniques to strengthen and balance leg muscles. This will help you avoid shin splints from walking in the future. Running Warmups, Cooldowns & Stretching Proper Footwear Check your footwear to see if it is time to replace your shoes. While recovering from shin splints is a good time to visit a specialty athletic shoe store and get fitted for the right footwear for your activities, such as running shoes for shin splints. You may also want to consult a podiatrist about whether arch supports or orthotics are appropriate for your arches. Studies show orthotics to be useful in preventing medial tibial stress syndrome. When to See the Doctor See your healthcare provider if your shins are red and hot to the touch, if you have worsening swelling, or if the pain doesn't alleviate with self-care after several weeks. These can be signs of compartment syndrome or stress fracture. Recovery Once pain-free for two weeks, you may return to the physical activity that triggered your shin splints. Use these tactics to avoid a relapse: Easy does it. Don't rush back into the same level of intensity as before. Go slowly and take rest days. Stretch after warming up. Stop and do your stretching routine, especially the legs, after your warmup. Speed up only after warming up. If you feel shin pain from walking or running, slow down. Seek softer surfaces. Avoid concrete and other hard surfaces for running, walking, or sports whenever possible. Slow or stop if you feel shin splint pain. If the pain does not go away quickly at a lower speed, end your running or walking workout. Ice after exercise. Ice your shins for 20 minutes after exercise. Prevention If you want to avoid shin pain from walking or are easing back into a routine after recovering from shin splints, consider these do's and don'ts to keep your legs healthy and injury-free. Do Alternate active days. Don't engage in vigorous activity two days in a row. Give your shins and other muscles a recovery day between hard workouts or long activity days. Add in cross-training. Increasing your strength and building muscle can help relieve pressure on your lower limbs. Core muscles are often weaker and unable to provide enough support when you start training. Increasing your strength and stability can help prevent strain on your shins. Choose walking shoes with flexible soles and low heels. If you wear inflexible shoes with rigid soles, your feet and shins fight them with each step. Walkers can avoid shin splints by choosing flexible shoes with bounce, such as Mizuno's Wave Rider 26, even if they are labeled as running shoes. Walking shoes should be relatively flat, without a built-up heel. Get fitted for running and walking shoes. Overpronation is a risk factor for shin splints, studies show. A technical running shoe store will assess you for overpronation and recommend a motion control shoe. Look for options that incorporate running insoles. Replace your footwear every 350 to 500 miles. Get shock-absorbing insoles for boots. Military boots and hiking boots lack cushioning. Adding a shock-absorbing hiking insole is helpful. Don't Keep shoes too long. Replace old shoes regularly. The cushioning and support in your athletic shoes are exhausted every 500 miles, often long before the soles or uppers show wear. Overstride. Overstriding when walking or running can contribute to shin splints. Keep your stride longer in the back and shorter in front. Go faster by pushing off more with the back leg. Skip the warmup. Warm up with a slow jog before running fast. When walking, warm up at an easy pace for 10 minutes before you begin a faster-paced or more intense workout. A Word From Verywell Don't let shin splints from walking or running stop you from enjoying physical activity. They can be a slight bump in the road that you can overcome. While you heal, try activities that don't stress your shins, such as swimming, cycling, and strength exercises. It's smart to enjoy a variety of exercises and activities. Barefoot Running: Pros and Cons of Running Without Shoes 4 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Winkelmann ZK, Anderson D, Games KE, Eberman LE. Risk factors for medial tibial stress syndrome in active individuals: An evidence-based review. J Athl Train. 2016;51(12):1049-1052. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-51.12.13 U.S. National Library of Medicine. Shin splints - self care. November 5, 2018. Northwell Health Orthopedic Institute. What are shin splints? American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Shin splints. August 2019. Additional Reading Reshef N, Guelich DR. Medial tibial stress syndrome. Clin Sports Med. 2012;31(2):273-90. doi:10.1016/j.csm.2011.09.008 By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit We Care About Your PrivacyWe and our 100 partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data.We and our partners process data to provide:Store and/or access information on a device. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. 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