SupremeShins that burn every time you run?
A few miles in, the inside of your shins start aching. By the end it's sharp. Rest a week, it fades, you go again and it's straight back. The pain is in the bone. The cause is the muscles pulling on it.
Nick Monczakowski 4.9 from 74 Google reviews · 13+ years
The pain is in the bone. The cause is the muscle.
Deep muscles pull on the bone.
The tibialis posterior and soleus attach along the inside of the shin. When they're tight and tired, they tug on the bone's outer layer with every step.
Rest calms it. It doesn't release it.
A week off lets the irritation settle. Start running again and the same tight muscles pull on the same spot.
Too much, too soon.
Mileage climbing faster than your legs can adapt is the most common trigger. Ignore it and it can turn into a stress fracture.
Release the pull. Let the shin settle.
Tibialis posterior
Attaches along the inner shin and pulls on it with every foot strike. Releasing it is usually the biggest single change.
Soleus
The deep calf muscle doing the heavy lifting on long runs and hills. Tired soleus, sore shins.
Gastrocnemius & toe flexors
They take over when the deep muscles tire. Treating the whole lower leg is what makes it last.
Gentle on the sore spot
The irritated bone covering isn't massaged directly while it's sore. The work goes into the muscles pulling on it.
Don't stop. Adjust.
Complete rest is rarely needed. Ease the load, treat the cause and keep your fitness while the shin settles.
Ease the load
Cut mileage back for a short spell. Swap some runs for cycling or swimming. Keep moving.
Treat the pull
Release the deep calf muscles pulling on the bone so it can settle.
Build back up
Increase mileage gradually, check your shoes and add simple calf strength work.
Shin myths. Busted.
“I need to stop running for weeks.”
Tap to flip →Usually you don't. Cut mileage back for a while, treat the tight muscles and build up again. You keep most of your fitness.
“New shoes will fix it.”
Tap to flip →Worn-out shoes can be part of it. New ones won't release the tight muscles pulling on the bone.
“Push through it, it'll toughen up.”
Tap to flip →Shins don't toughen up under constant irritation. Ignored long enough, shin splints can become a stress fracture.
One hour. Back on the road.
- 01
Talk
Your running load, footwear and how the pain behaves.
- 02
Assess
Hands-on assessment of the deep calf, soleus and lower leg to find which muscles are pulling hardest.
- 03
Treat
Release of the tibialis posterior, soleus and surrounding muscles, without pressing on the sore bone.
- 04
Plan
How to keep training while it settles and how to build back up safely.
Running again.
“At 42 I couldn't jog without pain. With a tailored treatment plan Nick changed all of that.”
Matt · Runner“I had 5 sports massage sessions with him over 2 months alongside my training for the London Marathon and he helped prepare me to cross the finish line happy and injury-free.”
Lucy · London Marathon“He helped keep me loose and bouncy before some endurance sporting events.”
Dan · Endurance athleteWhen to see your GP first
Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if you have severe pain and tightness in the lower leg that keeps getting worse, especially with numbness or pins and needles in the foot.
Call NHS 111 or see your GP before booking if you have shin pain with any of these:
- Pain in one small spot on the bone that hurts to touch
- Shin pain at rest or at night, not just when running
- Swelling in the lower leg or a hard lump on the bone
- Pain that hasn't eased after a couple of weeks of reduced running
Not sure? WhatsApp Nick a quick description first. If massage isn't the right first step, he'll tell you before you book.
Before you book for shin splints.
Can sports massage help shin splints?
Yes. Shin splints respond well to targeted work on the tibialis posterior, soleus and deep calf muscles that are pulling on the bone's outer layer. Easing those muscles lets the irritated area settle. Most runners notice a big improvement within 2 to 4 sessions alongside sensible training changes.
Should I rest completely with shin splints?
Usually not. Complete rest is rarely needed and can set your fitness back. The aim is to reduce load on the shin while treating the tight calf muscles pulling on it. Treatment plus a short drop in mileage works better than stopping completely.
How long does it take to recover from shin splints?
With the right treatment and training changes, most shin splints improve a lot within 3 to 6 weeks. Without dealing with the muscles behind it, it tends to come back as soon as you build up again. 2 to 4 sessions on the calf complex plus simple advice works for most runners.
Shins share the same chain.
Run without the shin pain.
- £80 first session, assessment included
- Mon–Fri 11am–7pm
- Near New Malden station · free street parking
- Personal reply from Nick, usually same day
“I always felt the relief and improvements following the sessions. To a point where now I don't feel those issues I used to.”