How To Avoid Shin Splints And Stress Fractures

Avoid Pounding The Pavement

When it comes to running surfaces, pavement, such as on sidewalks, is perhaps the worst offender for causing more frequent shin splints and stress fractures in runners, as it puts extra stress on these muscles. This is especially true if an individual runs the same path each day. To minimize the potential for injury, run on softer ground, such as a packed trail through a park, instead. Although running too much or too hard on this softer ground can still result in shin splints, it is still less of a risk than the same running routine on sidewalk pavement. Additionally, vary your running route to balance the stress on your leg muscles. One good tip for this is to run in the opposite direction every so often, even if the route is quite similar.