Shin Splints Treatment in Dallas
An ache along the inside of your shin usually means your lower legs are taking more impact than they were ready for. We find out why.
What You Might Be Feeling
Common Ways People Describe It
Shin splints are pain along the shin bone from repeated impact, often after a sudden increase in training. People tend to say:
- "A dull ache along the inside of my shin"
- "It's sore when I start, eases as I warm up, then returns after"
- "It's tender when I press along the edge of the bone"
- "It throbs after a run"
Common Causes
- A sudden jump in mileage, speed or running surface
- Hard surfaces and worn shoes
- Tight or weak calves and ankles
- How your foot lands
- Hip control that lets the lower leg absorb extra load
What Shapes Your Timeline
No two cases follow the same schedule. Your timeline depends on how recently your training load jumped, your running surface and shoes, your mechanics, and whether imaging is needed to rule anything else out. Your return to running is gradual and depends on how you respond.
What Treatment Looks Like Here
You work 1-on-1 with Dr. Lovelace and have direct access to the doctor at every visit. We start with an exam, usually including a 3D gait analysis, so your plan comes from measurements instead of guesses. Which tools we use after that depends on what the exam finds and what you need. We reassess as we go so you can see what's changing.
Pain often shows up away from where it starts. Your 3D movement assessment gives us baseline measurements, and a gait analysis shows what your hips, knees, ankles and feet do while you walk or run, so the plan targets the root cause. See how gait analysis works →
Common Approaches
- Rest, ice and compression reduce soreness. They don't change what loaded your shins in the first place.
- Shoes and orthotics can help some runners.
- Anti-inflammatory medicine can reduce pain for a while. Talk with your MD about what fits you.
- Our approach pairs measurement with a gradual return plan.
When It Might Be Something Else
Signs your pain may not be shin splints:
- Pain at one small spot on the bone
- Pain at rest or at night
- Pain when you walk
- Swelling
- Pain that isn't easing after a few weeks
The first few signs can point to a stress fracture, and imaging can confirm it.
Most running pain follows a pattern. When yours doesn't, we want to know early. We can order imaging when it's warranted and share the results with your MD. We always recommend co-management with your MD to support your recovery, so everyone is working from the same information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions We Hear
Shin splints usually feel like a broad ache along the shin that warms up and eases. A stress fracture tends to hurt at one small spot on the bone, and it can hurt when you walk or at rest. If your pain fits that second pattern, we can order imaging to find out, and we'll coordinate with your MD.
It depends on what the exam finds. A mild ache that settles can often be managed by adjusting your load. Sharp pain, or pain at one spot on the bone, is a signal to stop and get it checked.
They usually return when training load rises before the tissue has adapted, or when the mechanics and shoes behind them haven't changed. Finding the cause is how we break the cycle.
Other Running Injuries We Treat
Individual results vary. This page is educational and doesn't replace an exam or care from your physician.