You Asked: Running and Shin Splints?

Hi Fit,
I recently switched to running on the road because the weather has gotten so nice where I live and frankly I was bored of treadmill. I'm loving the warm sun and fresh air, but I'm suffering from slight pain in the fronts of my lower legs. I'm pretty sure it's shin splints because I've had this before when I was a kid, but I'm wondering, is it bad to keep running? It's not that painful, and when it does hurt, I just stop, walk a little, and then start running again. I don't want to do anything to injure myself, but I also don't want to take a break from running because I'm training for a half marathon.
— Pained Jane

It seems like for many, Spring running and shin splints go hand in hand. I too have suffered from the shooting, aching pains of shin splints, and they sure can throw a wrench into a training plan. To find out if it's OK to run through the pain, read more.

Let's take a step back and discuss why you're experiencing the pain in the first place. Shin splints are small tears in the area where the lower leg muscle attaches to the tibia, aka the shin bone. The tears are caused from overuse, especially after periods of inactivity. Since running on pavement taxes your muscles more, you're definitely working harder than if you were on a treadmill. In runners, shin splints often occur because the calf muscle becomes stronger than the tibialis anterior, the muscle on the outside of the shin. Even though your shin splints may not hurt too much, it's still a minor injury, and if you continue to push yourself and run through the pain, you could end up up with more severe tears, and an injury that will have you sitting out that planned marathon.

My advice is to take some time off from running and let those shins heal. That doesn't mean you have to stop all physical activity; just think of this as a good time to cross-train. Bike, swim, hike, walk, do yoga, and strength train to keep up with your cardio, to strengthen other muscles, and to maintain your flexibility. Doing certain exercises like heel walks around your house, toe lifts, and this seated shin strengthening exercise using a dumbbell will strengthen this area and prevent the dreaded shin splints once you start running again. Do also stretch your calves, even on days you don't exercise, and gentle shin stretches will help too. If resting doesn't help, make an appointment with your doctor to make sure it's not something more serious like a stress fracture.

When your shins feel up to running again, ease into it. Keep the pace slow, the distance short, and avoid hills in the beginning since running and even walking downhill can irritate the area. Also, running with a heavy heel strike can irritate the shin. So it might be worth it to experiment with your gait and try striking with your mid-foot. Let your legs gradually acclimate to running outside rather than on the treadmill, and you'll soon have happy legs ready to conquer that 13.1 miles.