Running and Shin Splints

When Spring weather hits, many runners can't wait to wave goodbye to the treadmill and head to the open road. All that fresh air and gorgeous scenery gives the sense of freedom, but it can also cause a painful sensation in the front of the lower legs. Shin splints are a common ailment for runners switching from the treadmill to the road, and if a runner doesn't take certain precautions, that pain can really put a wrench in their training routine.

Shin splints are small tears in the area where the lower leg muscle attaches to the tibia, aka the shin bone. The tears result from overuse, and since running on pavement taxes your muscles more than a treadmill, many runners complain of shin pain when they first begin outdoor runs. Shin splints often occur because the calf muscle becomes stronger than the tibialis anterior, the muscle on the outside of the shin. Even if the ache isn't that bad, it's still a minor injury. Pushing through the pain could result in more severe tears — an injury that could sideline your running routine altogether.

Keep reading to learn how to prevent shin splints.

• Ease into outdoor runs: Don't' expect to be able to run at an 8-minute mile pace for 45 minutes straight like you could on the treadmill. Wind resistance, uneven terrain, and the lack of a moving belt to propel your steps makes for a much harder workout. Doing too much too soon is a surefire way to end up with shin splints or another injury, so slow down your pace, run shorter distances, and don't be ashamed to take walking breaks when necessary.
• Check your form: Are you a heel striker? Landing on the heel can result in shin splints splints, knee injuries, or a pulled calf muscle. To prevent shin pain, focus on landing midfoot rather than on the heel.
• Run on softer surfaces: Pavement is hard on the joints and muscles, and simply running on dirt roads or woodsy trails could eliminate the pain immediately.
• Strengthen the lower leg muscles: Since shin splints can be caused by muscular imbalance, strengthen the muscles in the lower legs by doing variations of walking on your toes and heels as well as this seated shin strengthening exercise using a dumbbell.
• Don't skip stretching: Make time for stretches that target the lower legs including these seven calf stretches, even on days you don't exercise, and this yoga pose that stretches the shins.
• Don't just run: Cross-train with other types of exercise to strengthen all your muscles and to maintain flexibility. Bike, swim, hike, walk, do yoga, and hit the weight room at your gym.
• Rest: If the pain is unbearable, some days of rest are in order. That doesn't mean you have to stop all physical activity. Do low intensity exercise that doesn't aggravate your shins such as walking or swimming laps. If resting doesn't help, make an appointment with your doctor ensure it's not something more serious like a stress fracture.