A runner known only as CJ asks L.A. Times health writer Jeannine Stein what can be done to ease the pain of shin splints. Stein tosses the question to Dr. Phillip Kwong, a foot and ankle surgeon with Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic clinics in Los Angeles and Anaheim, and to Robert Forster, owner of Forster Physical Therapy
and Phase IV Scientific Health and Performance Center in Santa Monica.
Kwong suggests starting with a good look at your feet. If they’re flat, you may need an orthotic that gives more support on
the instep, preventing the feet from over-pronating, or rolling in too
much. If your arches are high, on the other hand, your foot may less flexible,
making shin splints more likely.
"When the foot lands, there isn’t the
elasticity of the tissue or the mobility in the joints to go side to
side, so everything goes up the leg," he says. Your feet will benefit
from more cushioning, via shoes with more padding or an orthotic.
Kwong and Forster both recommend stretching before and after you exercise, to help the muscles move and be more flexible. Forster says it’s a good idea to start with the standard runner’s stretch: Lean forward, with your hands
against a wall, keeping heels and toes forward and aligned. Lean until
you feel a stretch in your calf muscles.
For a more advanced stretch, says Forster, stay in that position but move about 6
inches closer to the wall and bend one knee — you should feel this in
the lower part of your shin and your Achilles heel.
Readers who prefer a visual aid should visit this page of MedicineNet.com.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Two suggestions: 1.) Shin splints most often occur when running downhill, as it stretches the front of the leg. Avoid steep downhills, walk downhill or find a less-steep path to get back to the bottom of the hill. 2.) I have also found that putting your right leg behind you, while leaning against the “runner’s stretch” wall, then pointing your toes, will stretch the shin muscles, making them more flexible and able to withstand the pounding that most often occurs when running downhill. Alternate to the left leg. Do this daily, even on days when you don’t run, so the muscles build up tolerance for the stress.