Managing Shin Splints and Run
Published on March 24, 2026
10.11 km · 1h 10min · 6:56/km
Ran it. Not fast, not effortless - but done.
The Shin That Keeps Complaining
If you’ve Googled “shin splints”, you’ve probably read about pain along the front of your shin - the anterior tibialis, stress on the tibia. Standard stuff.
But what I’m dealing with is different: posterior shin splints - medial tibial stress along the back inner edge of the lower leg. The tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, soleus. Less talked about, often misdiagnosed, and honestly more stubborn to recover from.
Myth vs. Reality
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| “Shin splints” = one thing | Anterior vs. posterior = different muscles, different causes |
| Rest fixes it | Rest helps, but targeted recovery + load management matters more |
| Only beginners get it | High mileage + poor recovery = anyone’s problem |
| Stretch it out | Stretching alone won’t fix a load-tolerance issue |
The pain hits on the inside of the lower leg, often during or after runs. It’s not sharp - it’s a dull, persistent ache that whispers slow down in the middle of every km.
Understanding It Better
Two videos worth watching if you’re in the same boat:
🎬 The Short Version - What’s Actually Happening
A quick breakdown of shin splint mechanics - good primer before going deeper.
🎬 The Full Picture - Muscle Anatomy & Recovery
Covers the posterior tibialis in detail, why it gets overloaded, and what recovery actually looks like.
What I’m Doing About It
- Reducing weekly mileage - not stopping, just backing off intensity
- Calf raises (slow eccentric) - loading the posterior chain properly
- Ice + compression post-run
- No back-to-back hard days - spacing effort with active recovery
- Monitoring pain levels - if it’s above a 3/10 mid-run, I stop
The goal isn’t to run through it. It’s to understand it well enough to run with it under control.
The Run Still Counts
10.11 km done. The pace wasn’t a PR. The shin wasn’t silent. But the kilometers are logged and the body’s giving me data - I’m learning to listen.
More miles (carefully) ahead. 🏃