Can I Run With Shin Splints?

Running with shin splints, which is pain on the inside or medial side of the front of your leg, can decrease your performance. Not only does it hamper your running, but it also can take the joy out of running. However, there are a number of remedies to help prevent and diminish the effects of shin splints.

Causes

When pain hits your shins after a run, one possible cause is that your foot overpronates or rolls inward, and because you are running in shoes that don't control this, it puts constant stress on your shins with every foot strike. Jim Fixx in "The Complete Book of Running" notes that a big increase in the amount and intensity of your running can also play a factor. Even if you are wearing the correct running shoe, too much running too frequently can result in shin splints.

Definition

The Mayo Clinic explains that shin splints are technically called medial tibial stress syndrome. The stress from your running causes an overload on the shin and the associated tissues, which causes them to become inflamed, especially during the impact of your foot strike. If you do not take the recommended preventive actions, and continue to run unabated with the recurring shin splints, the condition can worsen and become stress fractures in the tibia.

Prevention

The Mayo Clinic states that your shin splints can be treated by wearing correct running shoes, applying ice to reduce inflammation and decreasing the amount of your running. Coach R recommends reducing the amount of your running by 10 percent per week at the first sign of shin splints. If you continue to run but still have shin pain, back off your total weekly running mileage by 20 percent to 75 percent, depending on the amount of pain. If the shin pain is unbearable, stop completely.

Treatment

The Mayo Clinic states that an X-ray or MRI may be needed to assure that your shin splints have not progressed to the point of becoming a stress fracture. It also notes that an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Advil can help. When you sleep, make sure to elevate the affected legs above the level of your heart, and try using elastic bandages or compression sleeves or socks to further reduce any shin pain.

Good Advice

The bottom line is that you can run with shin splints, but moderation is the key. Don't try to push through the pain hoping that it will just go away. Perhaps the best advice of all comes from the Coach R, which recommends you adhere to the basic rule of running: The intensity and volume of your running should never increase more than 10 percent per week. This allows your shins to progressively get used to the increased stress and demand upon them, and to grow stronger.