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Shin splints

Overview

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The symptoms of shin splints are pain and tenderness in your shin, usually when you do exercise like running.

Things you can do to help with shin splints include rest, taking painkillers, putting an ice pack on your shin and switching to gentle exercise.

Treatment for shin splints that are not getting better can include physiotherapy.

Shin splints are caused by too much stress on your leg. It's more likely if you've started doing more exercise or you run on hard surfaces.

Shin splints is where you have pain in the front of your lower leg (shin), usually caused by exercise. It usually gets better within a few weeks.

Page last reviewed: 09/02/2023
Next review due: 09/02/2026