How To Avoid Shin Splints When Walking

By Ed Forteau on Thursday, June 10, 2010 - 12:44

A few years ago, I decided I was going to start walking every day for exercise. And any doctor will tell you that walking 2-3 miles a day is like eating an apple a day...it keeps the doctor away.

After a couple of days of walking, something stopped me dead in my tracks. Shin Splints.

Shin splints are injuries that result from inflammation in the tendon located on the outside front of the leg. They are often coined as “overuse injuries” which runners or aggressive walkers are highly susceptible to getting. Shin splints typically occur because of the force on the feet when aggressively walking on hard surfaces such as pavement, concrete, hardwood floors, or any other hard surface (i.e. walking for exercise). One suffering from shin splints feels pain in the outer edge of the mid region of the leg (the posterior tendon). If gone untreated shin splints can cause stress fractures which take several weeks to heal.

Fortunately shin splints can be avoided, and if you ignore my advice on avoiding shin splints, I'll also provide some solutions on treating shin splints which will get you back into your walking routine fast.

Wear a quality walking shoe: The #1 thing you can do to avoid getting shin splints is to wear a quality pair of walking shoes. What did you expect? This IS a walking shoe review site. Seriously, most people wear running shoes when walking. The motion is completely different, and a quality pair of walking shoes will address the unique stress on your body (i.e., feet, legs, back, neck, and shoulders) that walking can cause.
Replace worn out shoes: Unfortunately, our shoes don’t have odometers in them, but we are advised to replace them every 500 miles. Based on your daily walking habits, all you can do is make a reasonable estimate. A good rule of thumb is to replace your walking shoes before they start getting holes in them. Obvious signs of wear or loss of comfort are sure indicators to buy new shoes.
Warm up before going fast: Warming up is the golden rule of exercising and you’re taking unnecessarily big risks if you neglect to do that. Most people make the mistake of stretching before they warm up. It's old school advice. Stretching cold muscles is a sure way to get a muscle pull. Go for a short jaunt then do stretches before starting your walk, especially when combining short running spurts.
Avoid walking on concrete: Whenever possible, walk on grass, sand, or nature trails made of ground wood or bark. The human body is built to walk on soft natural surfaces. Walking on a natural surface is the easiest way to avoid shin splints (and other injures that walking on hard surfaces may cause). Drive out to parks with unpaved paths. It will definitely be worth the effort, and trust me, you’ll love it.
Don’t take too long of strides: Overstriding is one good way to bring on shin splints. Keep your stride longer in back and shorter in front. Go faster by pushing off more with the back leg. Some walking shoes can help you with this. MBT Shoes naturally cause you to take shorter strides. I have never gotten shin splints while wearing them. You can read our full review on the New MBT Shoe Line.
Do toe raises: This stretch strengthens the shin muscle, the anterior tibialis muscle on the front lower leg. Place the heels of your feet on a step with your toes overhanging its edge. Hold onto a railing or chair if needed. Flex your toes up towards your shins, hold for a second then release. Release and lower your toes, repeating this stretch 8-10 times. Here is another example of a toe raise exercise:

Do shin stretches: Hold onto a wall or railing for balance. Place the foot to be stretched just behind your other foot (which remains squarely on the ground), with the toe of the stretching foot touching the ground. While keeping your toes firmly on the ground, pull the stretching leg forward so you feel a stretch from the top of your stretching foot through your shins. Bend both knees slightly. Once you feel a good stretch, hold it for 15-30 seconds. Repeat with the other foot.
Treat shin splints promptly: If you feel the pain of a shin splint coming on, walk at a slower rate, end your walking cycle, or even walk every other day instead of daily. Apply ice to your shins before you walk and even 20 minutes after you walk. Massage can also help. Here is a video that explains how: