Preventing Shin Splints During Marathon Training

If left untreated, shin splints can derail your marathon training and pose further injury risks. Discover how to identify and treat shin splints, plus practical training tips to help you run safely and stay on track for your next race.

Training for a marathon, half-marathon or 10K is super exciting.

Chances are you’ve planned a weekly running schedule, downloaded Strava, and maybe even splurged on a new set of shoes for the big day.

So when your marathon preparation gets stopped due to unexplained shin pain, it’s natural to feel frustrated.

Shin splints are among the most common lower leg injuries, responsible for up to 16% of all running injuries but they’re also among the most misunderstood. 

To help you understand and treat your shin pain so you can get back to your marathon training, we’ll cover:

• What shin splints are (and what they feel like)
• The most common causes of shin splints
• Treatment options to reduce shin pain
• Timelines for recovery and training

Ready to hit the ground running? Let’s get right into it. 

What are shin splints?

The term “shin splints” is the common term for ‘Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome’ (MTSS). It refers to pain along the inner edge of the shinbone (tibia) and is a common exercise-related injury experienced by runners of all distances.

Pain felt on the inner side of the shinbone is called ‘medial shin splints’, while ‘anterior shin splints’ refers to pain felt on the outer side. Biomechanically, shin splints are a cumulative stress disorder caused by excessive loading and inadequate recovery. 

In other words, you’re doing too much, too soon. 

Shin splints, which cause pain anywhere along the shinbone from the knee to the ankle, can significantly impact your ability to train. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, your body is unable to naturally repair and restore itself, which can potentially progress to stress fractures.

What causes shin splints?

Shin splints are an inflammation of the muscles, tendons and bone tissue around your tibia.

The pain you’re feeling during or after running occurs when your leg muscles, tendons and bone tissue are overworked. This can be due to:

• Training in unsupported shoes
• Running on uneven or overly hard surfaces
• A sudden increase in training intensity or exercise
• Running too hard, too often
• Ankle joints rolling inwards during running (over-pronation)

In the above examples, excessive force and lack of support cause the muscles to swell and increase pressure against your bone, resulting in pain, inflammation, and difficulty training for your race.

How to spot shin splints (before they get worse)

We don’t need a crystal ball to know you’re already concerned about shin splints affecting your training.

Whether you’re experiencing pain along your shin bone already or you’re looking to put together a training plan that supports your health, knowing the early warning signs of shin splints is critical.

You may experience shin splint pain during exercise OR at rest, so watch out for the following red flags:

✗ Aches and pains felt along your shinbone

✗ Pain that develops during running or exercise

✗ Tenderness or swelling (often mild) of the lower leg

✗ Redness or inflamed skin around the sore area

✗ Numbness and weakness in one or both feet

If you recognise any of these symptoms, don’t panic. 

Depending on the severity of your injury, there are a range of treatment options available. The worst thing you can do is try to “run through the pain,” so start by scaling back your training while you take action to reduce pain and risk factors. 

Shin splint treatment options

Treatment for shin splints is based on symptomatic relief, identifying risk factors and pathology. 

Treatment plans may include:

Rest: Standard treatment includes rest since shin splints are typically caused by overuse. You can swap in lower-impact forms of exercise such as swimming, stationary biking or elliptical machines.

Ice: Apply an ice pack to the affected area for 10 to 20 minutes, three to four times per day. Avoid applying ice directly to the skin.

Supportive Shoes: Correctly fitted running shoes with custom orthotics can help reduce stress in your shins. Avoid running on extra hard or soft surfaces. Foot strapping and compression bandages may also help offer extra support.

Dry Needling and Additional Therapies: Noninvasive treatments, such as shockwave therapy, injection therapies, and massage or dry needling, may be effective in treating shin pain and stimulating healing.

Very few runners need surgery for shin splints. Most cases of shin splints can be resolved using a combination of the treatment options above. As frustrating as it is, avoid running when you experience shin pain.

If rest and ice packs don’t provide lasting relief, reach out and speak to a member of the Up and Running Podiatry team today at 1300 185 335 or book online for fast and effective relief.

How long after shin splints can I resume training?

If you’re experiencing shin pain, the first thing to do is to rescue your training volumes. In severe cases this may mean stopping training. Most shin splints will heal on their own. If the pain persists or becomes worse, you should see a podiatrist immediately.

Depending on the severity of your injury and treatment method, you should expect to recover from shin splints in two to six weeks. More severe shin splint pain can take up to six months to fully heal. 

If your shin pain is gone after two to four weeks of treatment, you may be able to start your usual activities again at a lower intensity. In most cases, runners who rest their shins and seek treatment as soon as symptoms begin can return to pain-free running sooner.

How to reduce the risk of shin splints during marathon training

Melbourne might be known for serving Australia’s best coffee (sorry, Sydney!), but it’s just as popular as a runner’s destination.

With dozens of marathons throughout the year, including the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival, you’ve got plenty of time to create a training plan and build up your fitness.

To help you reduce the likelihood of developing shin splints, consider taking the following steps:

• Avoid running on rugged or uneven terrain
• Properly warm up before you start running
• Wear shoes that fit well and offer correct support
• Consider strength training to build calf muscle strength
• Slowly build up your training intensity (it’s literally a marathon, not a sprint!)

Remember, the cause of shin splints can be doing too much, too soon. Avoid overuse or muscular trauma by slowly building the intensity of your runs.