The term ‘shin splints’ encompasses general pain along the front of your lower leg. It can be split into two categories; muscular and bone pathology. 

Muscular shin splints results from pain along one of two muscles, the tibialis anterior or tibialis posterior. Diagnosis is determined depending on the location of pain. It is generally characterised as damage to the muscle and surrounding fascia, resulting in tightness and compression of the muscle onto the bone. It usually results from calf tightness, poor ankle mechanics or increased load through the muscle. It is most common in runners.

Bony ‘shin splints’, or more commonly known as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) is a stress reaction within the tibia bone in your lower leg. It results in small fracturing of the tibia, which can possibly result in a larger fracture of the bone. It is a chronic overuse injury resulting from high impact sports that involves running and jumping, with an incidence of 4-19% in the athletic population. It is worse with activity and can be very self-limiting.

Causative factors can include a spike or change in training load/activity, the degree and nature of your hip/knee/ankle mechanics, and poor footwear.