What should I do if my shins hurt when I run?

How Are They Treated?

1. Rest your body. It needs time to heal.
2. Ice your shin to ease pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days, or until the pain is gone.
3. Use insoles or orthotics for your shoes.
4. Take anti-inflammatory painkillers, if you need them.

Should I stop running if my shins hurt?

Continuing to run with shin splints is not a good idea. Continuing the exercise that caused the painful shin splints will only result in further pain and damage that could lead to stress fractures. You should either eliminate running for a while or at least decrease the intensity with which you train.

Why do your shins hurt when you run?

You get shin splints from overloading your leg muscles, tendons or shin bone. Shin splints happen from overuse with too much activity or an increase in training. Most often, the activity is high impact and repetitive exercise of your lower legs. This is why runners, dancers, and gymnasts often get shin splints.

How long can shin splints last?

Shin splints often go away once the legs have had time to heal, usually in three to four weeks. Most people can resume an exercise program after their legs have healed. It takes longer to recover from a stress fracture, so it is best to have shin splints treated early.

How do I stop getting shin splints?

8 Tips to Prevent Shin Splints

1. Stretch your calves and hamstrings.
2. Avoid sudden increases in physical activity.
3. Exercise on softer surfaces when possible.
4. Strengthen your foot and the arch of your foot.
5. Strengthen your hip muscles.
6. Buy new athletic shoes that are right for you.
7. Stay at a healthy body weight.

What happens if you ignore shin splints?

If left untreated, shin splints can lead to lower leg compartment syndrome or even a stress fracture. Several risk factors have been identified to increase the likelihood of developing shin splints, particularly in runners.

How do you stretch your shins when running?

For an easy shin stretch and quick exercise, walk on your heels for a few minutes before exercising. You can then switch it up by walking on your toes. After doing both of these stretches, your shins and calves should feel stretched, flexible, and ready to move.

Is it good to rub shin splints?

Since the muscles generally associated with shin splints are deep muscles of the lower leg, remedial massage, myotherapy or deep tissue massage is recommended over foam rolling or static stretching as therapists are able to more effectively isolate and reach the deeper muscles.

Will running strengthen my shins?

In much the same way muscles rebuild from training, bones do too. When we run, the tibia or shin bone bends slightly from the impact. When we rest after our runs, it’s able to rebuild and get stronger. “The shin bone starts to remodel and get stronger,” he said.

Why do my Shins hurt after running?

The pain may be directly on the shin bone, or on either side. It also may present with muscle pain and slight swelling. Your shins may hurt after running also. If you suspect you have shin splints you may want to take a few days off and see if that helps.

How do runners treat shin splints?

Runners take small, paper cups, fill them with water and freeze. You can then peel back the paper and push the ice cup down on the shin splint where it hurts. This can help lessen pain. Some runners find that compression helps, such as a calf sleeve or compression socks.

How do you get rid of a sore shin?

Apply a cold device for 10 to 20 minutes at a time or as needed. Do not exceed 20 minutes and ensure you place a wet cloth between the ice and your skin. Ice is an effective method to treat sore shins.

How long should I Rest my shins from running?

If pain returns, remember that running through shin splints is a bad idea. I will advise the runner to rest their shins from running for one week before retesting the hop test and the touch test. Listen to your body.