Shin Splints

Understand Shin Splints in Young Runners

One of the most common issues young runners face is shin splints, a soreness or ache along the front or inside of the lower leg. The good news? With a few small changes in training, shoes, and strength habits, most athletes can recover quickly and prevent them from coming back.

What Are Shin Splints?

Shin splints is the everyday term for medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), irritation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around the shin. It’s usually caused by doing too much, too soon, or running on hard surfaces with worn-out shoes. When a young athlete grows or increases their mileage, the muscles that attach along the shinbone can pull and cause inflammation. It’s a sign the legs need time to adapt, not a reason to stop running altogether.

Common Signs and Symptoms

• Dull or aching pain along the inner or front part of the shin

• Pain that starts during running and may linger afterward

• Tenderness when pressing on the shin

• Stiffness or discomfort when getting out of bed or after sitting

If the pain becomes sharp, focused in one spot, or worsens with every step, take a break and consider getting it checked — a stress fracture can feel similar early on.

What Helps Shin Splints Heal

Recovery is about reducing stress on the shins while keeping up overall fitness. Here’s what helps most:

• Rest and Cross-Training: Take a few days or weeks off from running and switch to biking, swimming, or using the elliptical. These activities keep the heart and lungs strong without pounding on the legs. Endurance does not drop with these forms of exercise. Many elite runners use them as a part of regular training.

• Toe Taps: A simple exercise to strengthen shin muscles. Sit or stand and spell the alphabet with your big toe on each foot once per day, tracing the letters in the air. This strengthens the muscles that stabilize the lower leg.

• Stretch and Strengthen: Gentle calf stretches and light resistance band work for ankles help maintain flexibility and balance between muscles.

• New Shoes: Running shoes lose their cushioning after 300 to 500 miles. If your child’s shoes are worn, switching to a new pair with proper support can make a big difference.

• Surface Variety: When returning to running, try grass, dirt, or track surfaces instead of concrete or asphalt. It is the variation in foot plant that helps, not necessarily the softness of the surface.

Prevention Tips

To help avoid shin splints in the future:

• Increase mileage gradually. No more than 10% per week increase and no long run over 20% of normal.

• Include at least one rest or cross-training day per week.

• Warm up and cool down properly before and after each run.

• Keep a steady stretching and strengthening routine.

• Rotate between two pairs of running shoes if training regularly.

Shin splints can be frustrating, especially for motivated runners who love to train hard. But taking time to recover doesn’t mean losing fitness. It’s an investment in becoming stronger and more durable. With rest, smart training, and consistency in strength and stretching, most young runners return pain-free.

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