If you’ve experienced shin splints before, you know exactly how frustrating and painful the condition can be. There’s nothing worse than that jarring pain that shoots up your shin each time you plant your foot.
Not only can shin splints keep you sidelined for months, but they can even make everyday activities like walking or driving painful. It’s no surprise that anyone with shin splints is looking for fast, effective ways to find relief.
If you want to learn how to heal shin splints fast, you’re in the right place. We’ve got some tips and tricks that will have you back on your feet as quickly as possible. The best part is that you can learn how to heal shin splints fast at home - you don’t need to leave your living room to start your recovery and rehab from this painful condition!
Keep reading to learn the best way to heal shin splints fast and get back out onto the track before you know it.
What are Shin Splints?
Shin splints, medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome, refer to the pain and inflammation experienced along the shinbone (tibia), typically on the inner edge. This condition is commonly observed in athletes and individuals who engage in repetitive activities that place excessive stress on the lower legs, such as running, jumping, or dancing.
Shin splints occur when the muscles, tendons, and bone tissues surrounding the shin become overworked and inflamed.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Recognizing the symptoms of shin splints helps you properly diagnose and treat this condition before it worsens or potentially leads to a stress fracture. The most common indicators of shin splints are:
- A dull, aching pain along the inner edge of the shinbone
- Discomfort in the shin that’s often felt during and after physical activities
- Tender shins that are sensitive to the touch
- In some cases, mild swelling may occur around the shinbone
- Shin splints usually develop gradually, with the pain intensifying over time
If you notice any of these symptoms, you might be dealing with shin splints. But how did you get shin splints in the first place?
Common Causes
Shin splints can be caused by several different factors, including:
- Overuse or repetitive stress, such as consistent running on hard surfaces
- Participating in sports that involve frequent jumping or sudden stops
- A sudden increase in the duration, frequency, or intensity of your physical activity
- Issues with food mechanics or inadequate arch support
- Wearing shoes that lack proper cushioning, support, or shock absorption
- Muscle imbalances in the lower legs, particularly between the calf and shin muscles
By knowing the common causes, you can learn how to prevent shin splints from occurring in the first place. For example, make sure you increase your physical activity levels gradually, and always wear shoes that give your foot and ankle adequate support.
How Fast Do Shin Splints Heal?
Dealing with shin splints and wondering how long it will be until you can start training again? Unfortunately, there’s no black-and-white answer for how long it takes to heal shin splints, but let’s look at some of the factors that affect your shin splints recovery time.
Factors Influencing How Fast Shin Splints Heal
Several factors can influence the speed of recovery from shin splints, including:
- How severe your shin splints are in the first place
- How quickly you start treating your shin splints
- How much rest vs activity you do during your recovery period
- How closely you follow your treatment plan, including learning how to stretch shin splints
Your unique physiology and biology also play a part - everyone is different and some people naturally recover from shin splints faster than others.
Average Timeline for Recovery
The timeline for healing shin splints can vary from person to person, depending on the factors mentioned above. In most cases, with proper care and adherence to treatment, shin splints can typically heal within a few weeks to a couple of months. Mild cases may see improvement within a shorter time frame, while more severe cases or those with underlying contributing factors may take longer to heal.
Remember that even after the pain subsides, it is recommended to continue with a gradual return to activities. Focus on strengthening exercises like how to increase ankle mobility and proper training techniques. This helps to prevent a recurrence of shin splints and ensures long-term recovery.
Can You Get Rid of Shin Splints in 2 Days?
While it is possible to experience some relief within a few days of initiating appropriate treatment and self-care measures, completely resolving shin splints in just two days is highly unlikely. Shin splints require time for the damaged tissues to heal, inflammation to subside, and the affected muscles and tendons to regain strength and flexibility.
Attempting to rush the healing process by pushing through the pain or engaging in intense activities too soon can worsen the condition and prolong recovery time. It is important to prioritize rest, learn how to heal shin splints fast at home, and gradually reintroduce exercise. The slower approach can feel frustrating, but it will yield better long-term results and minimize the risk of reinjury.
How to Heal Shin Splints Fast at Home: Get Back to Full Form in a Timely Manner With These Tips
Ready to learn how to heal shin splints fast at home? Follow these tips to get your fitness back before you know it!
Immediate Care: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE)
One of the first things you can do for shin splints, immediately following your diagnosis, is to start using the RICE method:
- Rest the affected leg to allow the damaged tissues to heal. Avoid activities that aggravate the pain and refrain from high-impact exercises until the pain subsides.
- Ice the affected area for about 15-20 minutes, several times a day, to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Wrap an ice pack in a towel before applying it to the shin.
- Compression sleeves or an elastic bandage can help reduce swelling and provide support to the muscles and tissues during the healing process.
- Elevating the leg above heart level whenever possible helps minimize swelling by promoting fluid drainage and reducing pressure on the affected area.
The RICE method is a great way to start your healing strong, but it’s not enough alone to complete your recovery from shin splints.
Our Customers Tell Us That the Best Way to Heal Shin Splints Fast is With CastleFlexx…
Stretching the muscles around your shin, like your calf muscles, is one of the best way to heal shin splints fast. When you do calf stretches, you increase blood flow to your shins, which reduces inflammation and helps the damaged tissue heal. Stretching brings a lot of other benefits as well, like relieving tight calves and knee pain.
So, what’s the best way to heal shin splints fast with stretches? We've been told that using flexibility equipment like the revolutionary CastleFlexx is the easiest, safest, and most effective way of healing your shin splints properly. Stretching with the ergonomically-designed CastleFlexx will speed up your body’s natural recovery, without putting strain on your shins that could slow down your healing process.
The CastleFlexx is comfortable and easy to use, and its lightweight design is perfect for stretching on the go. With the CastleFlexx, you can use one incredible device to unlock all of the healing benefits of assisted stretching, without the need for expensive physical therapy sessions.
Learn how to release tight calves, discover new stretches for tight glutes, overcome tight hamstrings or knee pain, and beat your shin splints as quickly as possibile, all with the CastleFlexx!
The Top Rehabilitation Stretches Exercises for Shin Splints
Stretching helps to heal your shin splints faster, and also reduces how long it takes to get flexible. By learning what is fascial stretch therapy and incorporating stretches into your daily routine, you can help reach your body’s full athletic potential.
Several specific stretches and exercises can speed up your recovery from shin splints. Start with these:
- Toe raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly raise your toes while keeping your heels on the ground. Then, lower your toes back down. Repeat this exercise several times to strengthen the muscles in the lower legs.
- Calf stretches: Stand facing a wall, place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, and step one foot forward while keeping the other foot back. Keep both heels on the ground and lean forward. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
- Eccentric heel drops: Stand on a low step or curb with the balls of your feet on the edge and your heels hanging off. Slowly lower your heels below the step, then rise up on your toes and repeat the exercise. Perform several sets of 10-15 repetitions.
Should You Rub Out Shin Splints?
Massaging the affected area can help alleviate tightness and promote blood circulation, aiding in the healing process. However, it is essential to be gentle and avoid applying excessive pressure or causing further pain. Consider using your fingertips or a foam roller to gently massage the muscles around the shin.
Do Hot Showers Help With Shin Splints?
Hot showers or warm water baths can provide temporary relief by relaxing the muscles and improving blood flow. However, they do not directly heal shin splints. Heat therapy can be used in conjunction with other treatment methods but should not replace essential strategies like rest, ice, and using the best stretching equipment.
Pain Management Tips While Shin Splints Heal
Shin splints can be incredibly painful, even when you stop exercising. Even just walking around the house can cause an aching in your shins that becomes impossible to ignore. Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help alleviate pain and reduce inflammation, but shouldn’t be used as a long-term solution.
Applying athletic tape or using shin splint braces can provide additional support and reduce pain during activities once you do start moving again. Also, using orthotic inserts or changing to footwear with proper cushioning and arch support can help reduce pain and reduce stress on the shins.
Incorporating Proper Nutrition for Faster Healing
Just like when you’re training, it’s important to nourish your body when you’re healing. Include foods high in calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium for bone health. Make sure you’re eating foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, such as fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids, to promote overall healing and reduce inflammation.
Does Drinking Water Help Shin Splints?
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day is important for overall health and can help your body recover faster. Water helps maintain proper muscle function and assists in transporting nutrients around your body, giving your shins and surrounding tissues the nourishment they need to heal.
Be Patient - Rushing Back in Will Set You Back Even Further!
Of course, it’s natural to want to learn how to heal shin splints fast. Nobody with an active lifestyle wants to sit on the couch with an injury! At the same time, patience is key when recovering from shin splints, as rushing back into activities too soon can caus significant setbacks to your recovery.
Gradually reintroduce physical activities and listen to your body. Taking the time for a full recovery will reduce the likelihood of future shin splints and help you get back to your full form as quickly and safely as possible.
Final Thoughts on How to Heal Shin Splints Fast at Home
That’s a wrap on our discussion of how to heal shin splints fast. Recovering from shin splints can be a frustrating process, but it’s important to let your body heal properly to prevent future (and potentially more serious) injuries.
Stretching with the CastleFlexx will help your body recover from shin splints as quickly and safely as possible. Specifically designed to stretch and strengthen a wide range of muscle groups, the CastleFlexx brings limitless potential and will have you pounding the pavement before you know it.
Don’t waste time waiting for your shin splints to heal. Take your recovery into your own hands with the CastleFlexx!