Shin splints are usually caused one of two ways. First is “overexertion,” like running on hard surfaces, exercising too quickly after a long winter’s lay off, poor shoe quality or running  on uneven ground.
The second cause of shin splints is referred to as “biomechanical” and can be a bit more complicated to diagnose. These causes have more to do with the individual.
Everyone walks and runs differently. Some have a short gait (stride), while other’s is long. Most everyone, while walking or running touches their outside heel down first, with their foot rotating inward to support them.
Simply put, some feet turn inward just enough (normal pronation), but some turn in too much (over pronation), and some feet don’t turn in enough (under pronation). Other biomechanical causes of shin splints can be flat feet, walking or running with toes pointed outward (duck feet), or toes pointed inward (pigeon toed). By the way, as a sprint coach I can tell you, the fastest runners(sprinters) are pigeon toed.
Now that we know some of the causes of shin splints, lets go over some preventions, and treatments.
Obviously prevention should be your main goal. First, if you have any physiological conditions with regard to your feet, visit your podiatrist. Make sure you have good footwear. Remember, you get what you pay for.
Next, strengthen your leg muscles, but slowly. One exercise I recommend is to sit in a chair with legs out straight. Point toes away from you, and hold for a few seconds, then pull toes toward you and hold, and repeat.
Also, stretch your tendons. Tendons hold  muscles to bones, and are much like leather in two ways. First, the more supple tendons are (stretched), the stronger they can hold.
Secondly, you can’t condition tendons or leather in one sitting. You need to do it (stretch) day after day.
For treatment of shin splints, I recommend icing them (fifteen minutes at a time), several times a day, elevation and rest. Wrapping you shins will also help. There are shin splint braces out there, but I’ve found that a 4’ Ace bandage works well.
Diet or exercise question? Email me at dwcrocker77@gmail.com. Or visit fitness4yourlife.org. David Crocker of Landrum has been a nutritionist and personal trainer for 26 years.
He served as strength director of the Spartanburg Y.M.C.A., head strength coach for the S.C. state champion girls gymnastic team , USC-Spartanburg baseball team, Converse college equestrian team, lead trainer to L.H. Fields modeling agency, and taught four semesters at USC-Union. David Was also a regular guest of the Pam Stone radio show.