It’s fall marathon season, which for many runners means it’s also shin splints season. Whether you’re a beginner or have several races under your belt, the injury can be debilitating.
Shin splints manifest as pain along the tibia or shin bone, and they are among the most common running injuries. Most people get them if they’re new to the sport or after ramping up their mileage. But you can also get shin splints if you incorporate hills or speed workouts without building up to them first, or by running on harder surfaces than you’re used to.
“Running is a pretty high-impact sport — it’s a lot of stress on the body,” said Dr. Michelle Kew, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York who was previously a physician for the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls. If you plan to increase the amount you’re training, she says, it’s best to build up slowly and to follow the guidance of a running club, coach or training plan.
Fortunately, shin splints don’t always have to stop you from running for the season. Here’s what to know about treating them, returning to training safely and preventing new injuries.
What are shin splints?
Shin splints are an overuse injury. Many experts believe they are a result of inflammation in and around the muscles that pull on the tibia’s surface, or from damage to the bone. However, doctors don’t fully understand what causes them on a cellular level.
Pain from shin splints may be sharp or dull and it that may improve during a run at first, but it can linger as the injury worsens. “It’s like a toothache in your leg that doesn’t go away,” said Dr. Jordan Metzl, a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “The worse the ache, the more significant the problem.”
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.