Shin splints occur in 13.1 percent of all runners, according to Beginnertriathlete.com. And that is not including those who get shin splints while simply running to catch a bus or something similar.

            “A lot of runners get shin splints for a variety of reasons. I treat kids for it all the time,” Michael Klobnak, athletic trainer, said.

            According to WebMD, shin splints are really just symptoms of problems like muscle swelling and irritation, stress fractures, or flat feet. Shin splints present themselves with a dull, aching pain in the front of the leg.

            “For me, shin splints are really, really bad. I got them this summer, in the fall for cross country, and in the spring for track,” Shaun Bonefas, junior, said. “The best way to describe them is like having a brick in your leg instead of a shin. It got to the point where I had to use crutches.”

            The pain from shin splints usually fades on its own, but sometimes that can take a while.

            “Eventually they will subside to the point where there’s no pain, but it goes slowly. I’ve had them three times, in total a month and a half of shin splints before the pain went away,” Bonefas said.

            There is no surefire way to prevent shin splints other than never running, but there are ways to avoid them. These include wearing better running shoes, not running on hard surfaces like concrete, warming up or stretching, stopping as soon as there is noticeable pain in the shins, and avoiding a sudden change in running routines.

            “I first got shin splints because one week I upped my mileage a lot. I went too fast, too hard, for too long,” Bonefas said.

            While shin splints cannot be immediately treated and fixed, there are ways to reduce the pain while the legs heal on their own. Icing the shin, using painkillers, getting arch supports, doing range of motion exercises, and physical therapy are the easiest and most effective, according to WebMD.

            “I had to ice it every day. The best way to do that is fill Dixie cups up with water, freeze them, peel the top off, and then massage your leg with it,” Bonefas said. “It helps a lot.”

            Persistent and painful shin splints could be a sign of a significant injury, however, and should be examined by a doctor. According to WebMD, X-rays and bone scans may be needed in the case of severe stress fractures requiring surgery.

            “Shin splints are the most common of running injuries,” Bonefas said, “but I still hate them.”