Shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome, is one of the most common injury for runners. Symptoms include pain, tenderness, swelling, redness, and warmth during weight-bearing activities.
There are many theories about what exactly causes the pain of MTSS, although nothing’s conclusive. The most common theory is that the pain in the front, lower leg results from inflammation around the muscles, tendons, and ligaments pulling on the periosteum (the membrane around the bone) of the shin bone.
Common causes of shin splints include: inadequate stretching, over-pronation, worn shoes, an imbalance between your calf muscle and muscles in the front of your leg, chronically tightened calf muscles, incorrect form, heel strikes that come from overly-long strides, hill running, hard running surfaces, or too much training.
Prevention
- Warm up.
- Increase exercise intensity gradually. A rule of thumb is a 10 percent increase each week. Click here for a more in-depth explanation.
- Stretch after your workout. Stretch the anterior muscles of your lower leg by crossing your ankle over your opposite knee and pulling the top of your foot towards your body. Be sure to stretch your calves, as well, since they can become too tight and put a strain on your tibia.
- Foam rolling. This is one of my favorite ways to utilize a foam roller. Whenever I feel shin splints coming on, I do this before and after every run or workout.
- Vary your training surface.
- Consume 1,000 mg of calcium each day.
- Check your shoes. If they’re too worn, then they’ve lost their structure, and it’s time to get new ones. The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine considers shoes to be worn out after 300-500 miles of walking or running.
- Engage in strength training. This is where muscle imbalances will come into play. Both your calves and your frontal muscles need to be strengthened and stretched.
The movement below will engage those frontal muscles that are hard to work. You may also spell the ABC’s with your toes from this position without a weight.
- Perform calf raises in all three directions: pigeon toed, duck footed, and straight; this will encourage strengthening of all aspects of the calf muscle.:
Here’s a quick warm-up before going on a run. All these should be done barefoot and on grass or a soft surface
- Walk on heels, toes turned out.
- Walk on heels, toes turned in.
- Walk on toes, heels turned out.
- Walk on toes, heels turned in.
- Walk across the grass, pulling out the grass using just your toes (if you’re indoors, lay a towel out flat on the floor in front of you and scrunch it up with your toes, instead).
Treatment
-
- Keep your legs elevated.
- Ice for 15-20 minutes several times a day. Use an icepack or combine with a massage by making a small ice cup (like the one below) and rubbing it over the inflamed area.
- Rest. Avoid any activity that causes pain. Cross-training may be continued to keep up endurance levels (biking, elliptical machine, swimming, weight training.)
- Estimates of healing time for shin splints range from two weeks to six months. The longer you push yourself without listening to your body, the more time you’ll have to take off from your activity to recover.
- After the pain is alleviated, give yourself another one to two weeks before running again, and continue icing and elevating.
- When you come back, don’t expect to jump back in right where you were before the injury. Allow yourself a slow start, and slowly work back up your mileage and intensity.
- Take over-the-counter pain medications (NSAIDS).
- Wear compression socks or neoprene sleeves. This helps warm up the lower leg and restricts your muscle movement.
- Get orthotics, shoe inserts that provide support and distribute impact forces.
- Check your form. I’ve always been a heel striker, which leads to chronic shin splints. By switching my shoes to a zero drop brand I was able to correct my form and say “goodbye” to my shin splints!
Emily Wiley
iFit Trainer
WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.
You might also like
.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Trainer Games Complete Collection: Every Workout. Every Episode. One Epic Experience.
Experience the full intensity of Trainer Games in one place. The Trainer Games Complete Collection brings every episode, workout, and behind-the-scenes moment together inside the iFIT fitness app, so you can train, watch, and stay inspired alongside elite trainers from start to finish.
February 16, 2026
Explore Heart Rate Training with the ActivePulse™ Training Series
When it comes to a customized, interactive workout experience, it doesn’t get better than heart rate training. Our new, groundbreaking feature called ActivePulse uses your heart rate to personalize your workout. It’s the newest way to experience an interactive, personalized experience with iFIT. What is ActivePulse? ActivePulse is iFIT’s first heart rate training feature, designed for users who want to get the most out of their workouts. With ActivePulse turned on and a Bluetooth®-enabled heart rate monitor connected to your treadmill, the intensity of your workout will be automatically adjusted, based on your target heart rate zone. You will automatically be sped up or slowed down in order to maintain the ideal heart rate zone for your workout. This includes recovery, speed, or strength runs! Ready to explore ActivePulse? Try the ActivePulse Training Series! If you’re ready to try this new feature and put heart rate training to work for you, join the ActivePulse Training Series that covers all the basics of ActivePulse and heart rate training as you explore beautiful San Diego. Filmed in 2019, this six-part program is led by iFIT Trainer Tommy Rivs Puzey. Together, you’ll run through San Diego as you learn how to use the ActivePulse feature. You’ll also learn about the five heart rate zones, cardiac drift, and how your heart responds to stress. As you explore different zones, Tommy will continue to adjust your workout in order to set the perfect intensity for your fitness level. Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFIT assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment.
March 30, 2021
New Feature: Connect iFIT to your Favorite Fitness Apps
Whether you’re out running your favorite trail or cycling at home, every single workout is important. We believe tracking your fitness journey in a single location is a key component to chasing your goals. You can now connect your iFIT account with Apple Health™, Garmin® Connect, Google Fit™, and Strava, so all of your workouts are in one place! Note: Only iFIT workouts from the iFIT Library will count toward your iFIT Milestones. Important update 12/31/2025: Google Fit™ is a deprecated service and is no longer supprted by Google. As a result, iFIT no longer supports new Google Fit connections. We’re actively working toward supporting Google Health Connect, Google’s replacement platform, in a future update. Ready to get connected? Here’s how you can connect your favorite fitness apps to iFIT. Apple Health Garmin Connect Google Fit™ Strava How to connect iFIT to Apple Health: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone.Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Apple Health, then tap Connect.You'll be taken to the Health Access page where you can enable sharing data from iFIT to Health. You can control which types of information iFIT will read and write to Health. How to connect your iFIT and Garmin Connect accounts: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone or Android phone. Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Garmin Connect, then tap Connect.Sign in to your Garmin Connect account.After signing in to your Garmin Connect account, toggle on the preference to share activity data from Garmin Connect to iFIT.Tap the Agree button to connect your iFIT and Garmin Connect accounts.After connecting, you can set your desired preferences to automatically sync your Garmin Connect activities to your iFIT account. Important update 12/31/2025: Google Fit™ is a deprecated service and is no longer supprted by Google. As a result, iFIT no longer supports new Google Fit connections. We’re actively woring toward supporting Google Health Connect, Google’s replacement platform, in a future update.How to connect iFIT to Google Fit™: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone or Android phone.Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Google Fit™, then tap Connect.You’ll be prompted to select the Google account you would like to connect. Tap the Allow button to allow iFIT access to your Google Fit™ account.After connecting, you can set your desired preferences to automatically sync activities between iFIT and Google Fit™. How to connect your iFIT and Strava accounts: Launch the iFIT app on your iPhone or Android phone. Tap the three lines in the top left corner to access the menu, then tap on Settings.From Settings, navigate to Connected Apps.On the Connected Apps screen, select Strava, then tap Connect.Sign in to your Strava account.After signing in to your Strava account, tap the Authorize button to connect your iFIT and Strava accounts.After connecting, you can set your desired preferences to automatically sync your activities between your iFIT and Strava accounts. We hope you enjoy this new feature as you chase your fitness goals with iFIT! Google Fit™ is a trademark of Google LLC. Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFIT assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment.
September 2, 2021
