Also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, shin splints can be painful and disrupt training regimes. However, they are not a serious condition and may be alleviated with some simple home remedies. Shin splints are characterized by pain in the lower leg, on the front, outside, or inside of the leg.
When should I worry about shin splints?
You should talk to a doctor about your shin splints if:
- The pain from the shin splints continues even after you ice, rest, and take pain relievers.
- You think the pain is from something that isn't shin splints.
- The swelling is not going down.
- Your shin is red and feels hot.
What happens if shin splints go untreated?
If left untreated, shin splints and stress reaction can progress ultimately to stress fracture, which is when the bone can no longer handle the load being placed on it and it cracks. A fracture means broken bone, so a stress fracture is truly a type of broken bone.
