Shin Pain While Jogging

Shin splints account for up to 16 percent of all injuries among runners and were the third most common injury reported in a Runners World survey. The pain can be bad enough to interfere with your workout and even sideline you for several weeks. Rest is the only treatment you'll need in most cases, but if you learn to take precautions, you can keep shin pain from happening in the first place.

Identification

Shin splints refers to pain just below the large shinbone, or tibia, in your front lower leg. It's also called medial tibial stress syndrome by orthopedic doctors. In addition to pain, symptoms can include tenderness and mild swelling along the inner part of your lower leg that can become chronic, even while at rest, if not treated. Shin splints are usually caused by repetitive activity that leads to inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and tissues covering the tibia. In a few cases, shin pain associated with jogging could be a stress fracture, but this can only be diagnosed via an X-ray.

Contributing Factors

You're more likely to get shin splints if you use inadequate shoes, run on hard surfaces, increase your training too quickly or have decreased flexibility at the ankle joint, flat feet or abnormally rigid arches. If your feet tend to overpronate, or roll inward too much while you jog, or the opposite, oversupinate, in which the feet roll outward, it can also lead to shin splints.

Treatment

The first step in treatment is to stop jogging and take a break of two to four weeks from any exercise that causes pounding on your lower leg, although you may be able to participate in other low-impact exercises such as bicycling or swimming. Use ice or a cold pack over the area for 20 minutes twice a day, and try over-the-counter pain medications. Gentle stretching may also be helpful, as can wrapping the shin with special tape. If diagnosed with a stress fracture, you may be on crutches for several weeks. In rare cases, you may need surgery if your shin is damaged and doesn't respond to other treatments.

Prevention

Wear shoes that fit properly and have good support with padding and shock absorption. The Mayo Clinic also recommends replacing your shoes every 350 to 500 miles. Check with your doctor to see if you need over-the-counter or custom-fitted orthotic shoe inserts to prevent overpronation. Always stretch and warm up your muscles before exercising and cool down after your workout. Avoid running on hills and hard surfaces, and switch to rubber, grass or dirt tracks. To avoid stressing your leg muscles, don't increase your jogging distance by more than 10 percent per week.