Shin splints are one of the most common and frustrating injuries for student athletes. That sharp or aching pain can disrupt training, affect performance, and even sideline you during the most critical parts of the season.
But here’s the good news: most cases of shin splints are preventable. By understanding the most common causes and taking steps like early awareness, proper training, and professional support, such as chiropractic care, you can stay pain-free and keep moving all season long.
What are Shin Splints?
Shin splints are a common overuse injury that causes pain along the inner edge of the shinbone (tibia). This discomfort typically appears during or after physical activity, especially in sports involving running, jumping, or quick direction changes.
While often brushed off as “normal soreness,” shin splints can worsen without proper care, eventually interfering with performance or leading to more serious injuries like stress fractures. Understanding the root causes is key to preventing long-term setbacks.
The Basics of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
The medical term for shin splints is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). It occurs when repetitive stress causes inflammation in the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue surrounding the tibia. This stress is usually the result of poor biomechanics, sudden training changes, or muscular imbalances.
Why Student Athletes are More Prone to Shin Splints
High school athletes are uniquely vulnerable to shin splints due to a combination of physical development and sport demands. Here’s why:
Growth Spurts and Developing Muscles
Adolescents often experience rapid growth during their sports careers, which can lead to muscle tightness, joint instability, and coordination challenges. As bones grow faster than muscles can adapt, this imbalance places additional strain on the lower legs, making shin splints more likely, especially without targeted mobility and strength work.
High Training Loads and Limited Recovery Time
Student athletes frequently train intensively during the school year with little downtime. When workouts or practices ramp up too quickly, without allowing the body to recover, overuse injuries like shin splints can develop. Consistent conditioning, proper rest, and early warning signs should never be overlooked.
Multi-Sport Participation Without Off-Season Conditioning
Many students move straight from one sport to another without taking time for off-season strength and mobility training. While this dedication is admirable, repetitive loading without adequate recovery or cross-training increases the risk of developing shin splints and other overuse injuries. A pre-season evaluation can help identify imbalances before they cause pain.
5 Causes of Shin Splints
Understanding the root causes of shin splints can help athletes, parents, and coaches take proactive steps toward prevention. Here are the five most common culprits we see at Bergen Chiropractic, and what to do about them:
1. Overtraining or Sudden Increases in Activity
Rapid changes in intensity, duration, or frequency of training put the lower legs under stress before they’ve had time to adapt. This is especially common at the start of a new season or when trying to “catch up” after time off. Progress should always be gradual, aiming for no more than a 10% increase per week.
2. Improper Footwear or Worn-Out Shoes
Shoes that don’t provide adequate support, cushioning, or alignment control can lead to faulty biomechanics and excessive impact on the shins. Worn-out soles or using sport-inappropriate footwear increases injury risk. Replace running shoes every 300–500 miles, and always wear shoes tailored to your foot type and activity.
3. Running on Hard or Uneven Surfaces
Training on unforgiving surfaces like concrete or uneven terrain adds repetitive shock to the tibia and surrounding tissues. Switching surfaces without building tolerance, like moving from a treadmill to pavement, can also trigger shin pain. When possible, vary your training environment and incorporate lower-impact options like turf or tracks.
4. Poor Biomechanics and Muscle Imbalances
Flat feet, overpronation, or misalignment in the hips, knees, or ankles can cause uneven loading and stress along the shin. These imbalances often go unnoticed until pain begins. A chiropractic assessment can identify. and correct these dysfunctional patterns before they lead to injury.
5. Tight Calves, Weak Shins, and Limited Ankle Mobility
Muscle weakness in the lower leg is a key contributor to shin splints. Tight calves pull on the tibia, while weak anterior muscles (like the tibialis anterior) fail to stabilize movement. Restricted ankle mobility adds further strain. Stretching, strengthening, and joint alignment all play a role in restoring balance and protecting against injury.
How Chiropractic Assessments Can Catch Issues Early
Shin splints rarely happen overnight; they develop over time from underlying imbalances, repetitive stress, or faulty movement patterns. At Bergen Chiropractic, our goal is to catch these issues before pain begins, through detailed chiropractic assessments tailored to student athletes.
Our assessments go beyond surface-level symptoms. We evaluate:
- Posture and gait mechanics.
- Joint alignment and mobility.
- Muscle balance and functional movement patterns.
- Foot arches, stride, and ankle range of motion.
These insights help us detect subtle dysfunctions, like overpronation, leg length discrepancies, or poor load distribution, that place excess strain on the shins and surrounding muscles. With early detection, we can implement corrective strategies such as targeted adjustments, soft tissue work, strength exercises, and footwear guidance to restore balance and prevent injury.
Don’t Let Shin Splints Slow You Down, Book a Movement Assessment Today!
The chiropractic team at Bergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center adheres to the highest medical standards to provide superior chiropractic care. Our mission is to deliver unparalleled patient care in a comfortable and healing environment.
Access our contact form or call us at (201) 357-6539 to learn more about our chiropractic care services! Our offices at 532 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, and 62 Summit Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601, are ready to welcome you as we proudly serve the areas of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD. Also, access our blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages for more information on chiropractic care for shin splints!
