Shin Pain Stopping You from Running?

Shin splints are one of the most common overuse injuries affecting runners, walkers and people who have recently increased their physical activity. If you’ve noticed aching or sharp pain along the front or inside of your shin during or after exercise, you may be experiencing shin splints.

At Belconnen Physiotherapy Clinic, we help people across Canberra understand the cause of their shin pain and develop an individualised treatment plan to support recovery and reduce the risk of recurrence. Whether you’re training for an event, returning to exercise or simply trying to stay active, early assessment can help you manage symptoms effectively.

What Are Shin Splints?

Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), refer to pain that develops along the inner edge of the shinbone (tibia). The condition commonly occurs when the muscles, tendons and bone tissue surrounding the tibia become irritated due to repetitive loading.

Shin splints are particularly common in:

·Recreational and competitive runners

·People beginning a new exercise program

·Military recruits

·Court sport athletes

·Hikers

·Dancers

Although shin splints are common, persistent shin pain should always be assessed to rule out other conditions such as stress fractures or compartment syndrome.

What Causes Shin Splints?

Shin splints usually develop because the body is exposed to more stress than it can currently tolerate. This may happen gradually over time or after a sudden increase in training.

Common contributing factors include:

·Rapid increases in running distance or intensity

·Beginning a new exercise program

·Running on hard or uneven surfaces

·Inadequate recovery between training sessions

·Reduced ankle or hip mobility

·Muscle weakness affecting running mechanics

·Foot biomechanics that increase loading through the lower leg

·Worn or inappropriate footwear

A physiotherapy assessment helps identify which factors may be contributing to your symptoms.

What Does Shin Splint Pain Feel Like?

People with shin splints commonly describe:

·Pain along the inside of the shin

·Tenderness when pressing the affected area

·Pain during running or jumping

·Symptoms that ease with rest but return during activity

·Mild swelling in some cases

If your pain becomes severe, occurs at rest or is focused on one small area of the bone, further assessment may be recommended to exclude other injuries.

How Can Physiotherapy Help Shin Splints?

A physiotherapist will assess your symptoms, training history, movement patterns and strength to determine the likely cause of your shin pain.

Treatment may include:

Activity Modification

Complete rest is not always necessary. Instead, your physiotherapist may recommend temporarily reducing activities that aggravate symptoms while maintaining fitness through alternative exercises where appropriate.

Progressive Strengthening

Improving the strength of the calf muscles, foot muscles, hips and core can help improve your body’s ability to tolerate running loads.

Running Assessment

For runners, assessing running technique may identify movement patterns that contribute to excessive stress on the lower leg.

Mobility Exercises

Improving flexibility and joint mobility where required may help reduce unnecessary strain during walking and running.

Return-to-Running Program

Returning to running too quickly can increase the risk of symptoms returning. A graded running program allows your tissues to adapt progressively while monitoring symptoms.

Can I Keep Running With Shin Splints?

This depends on the severity of your symptoms.

Some people can continue modified running if pain remains mild and settles shortly after exercise. Others may benefit from temporarily reducing running volume while focusing on rehabilitation.

Because every case is different, an assessment can help determine the safest approach for your situation.

How Long Do Shin Splints Take to Recover?

Recovery varies depending on:

·How long symptoms have been present

·Training load

·Overall fitness

·Individual healing capacity

·Whether contributing factors are addressed

Many people notice gradual improvement over several weeks with appropriate management, although longer-standing cases may require more time.

Following a structured rehabilitation plan can help support recovery and reduce the likelihood of recurring shin pain.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shin Splints

Are shin splints the same as a stress fracture?

No. While both cause shin pain, they are different conditions. Stress fractures involve small cracks within the bone and often produce more localised pain. A physiotherapist can help determine whether further medical investigation is appropriate.

Should I stretch shin splints?

Stretching may be helpful for some people if muscle tightness is contributing to symptoms, but it is usually only one part of a broader rehabilitation program that includes strengthening and load management.

Can walking make shin splints worse?

Walking is often well tolerated, although longer walks may aggravate symptoms in some people. Your physiotherapist can advise on suitable activity levels during recovery.

Can shin splints come back?

Yes. Shin splints can recur if the underlying contributing factors are not addressed. Improving strength, gradually increasing training loads and following an appropriate running program may help reduce the risk.

When Should You See a Running Physio?

You should consider seeing a running physio if:

·Shin pain persists for more than a few days

·Pain is limiting your running or sport

·Symptoms return each time you exercise

·You’re preparing for an upcoming event

·You’re unsure whether your injury is shin splints or another condition

Early assessment may help identify contributing factors before symptoms become more persistent.

Shin Splint Treatment in Canberra

If you’re experiencing shin splints, ongoing shin pain, or another running injury, the team at Belconnen Physiotherapy Clinic provides thorough assessments and evidence-informed management tailored to your goals.

Whether you live in Belconnen, Bruce, Gungahlin, Macquarie, Hawker or elsewhere across Canberra, we’re here to help you better understand your injury and support your return to activity.

Book an Appointment

Don’t let shin pain keep you from enjoying running or your favourite activities. If you’re experiencing symptoms of shin splints, contact Belconnen Physiotherapy Clinic to arrange an assessment.

Or Book Online HERE!