Once serious problems like high risk stress fractures, sudden pressure problems in the leg, or blood clots have been checked and managed, the right kind of exercise is usually safe and is one of the best ways to help shin pain improve.
For most people with common shin pain or mild bone stress injuries, carefully managed training and strengthening help the bones and muscles adapt so they can handle running and impact again. Building strength in the calf, foot, and hip muscles helps spread the load more evenly and reduces stress on sensitive areas of the shin.6 7
Exercise is also key after a bone stress injury. Criteria based return to running plans that include strength, balance, and gradual impact progressions are safer and more effective than resting for a set number of weeks and then jumping straight back into full training. 2 6 7
The goal is not to push through sharp pain. Instead, it is to find the level of movement that your shins can tolerate, build strength and capacity, and then slowly reintroduce impact in a planned way.
Effective exercises for shin pain
Not every exercise is right for every person. If a movement causes sharp pain or new symptoms, stop and consult a medical provider.
These exercises are general options often used for common shin pain or mild bone stress injuries, once more serious problems have been ruled out. Your personal plan should be guided by a clinician.
1. Seated calf raise
Why it helps: Strengthens the soleus muscle, which handles much of the load when you walk and run. Good soleus strength is linked with better tolerance to impact and lower risk of tibial bone stress injury.6 7
How to do it: Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent to about 90 degrees. Place your hands on your thighs for light pressure or hold a small weight on your lap if advised. Slowly lift your heels off the ground as high as is comfortable, then lower them back down with control. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions, as long as the pain stays mild and settles within 24 hours.
2. Standing calf raise
Why it helps: Builds strength in the gastrocnemius muscle (back leg muscle) and lower leg, which helps control impact when you push off the ground. Strong calves support the tibia and are a core part of rehab for shin related bone stress problems.6 7
How to do it: Stand facing a counter or wall with your hands resting lightly for balance. With your feet hip width apart, slowly rise up onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as you comfortably can. Pause for 1 to 2 seconds, then slowly lower back down. Start with 2 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. As symptoms improve, you can progress by adding a third set or eventually doing them one leg at a time if your clinician agrees.
3. Foot arch and toe curls
What it helps: Strengthens the small muscles in your foot, which can improve control of your arch and reduce stress on the shin, especially in people with an unideal foot posture.6 7 10
How to do it: Sit with your foot flat on the floor and a small towel under your toes. Keeping your heel down, gently curl your toes to scrunch the towel toward you, then relax. You should feel the muscles under your arch working, not just your toes. Repeat for 10 to 15 curls per foot. You can also practice gently lifting your arch without clawing your toes, holding for 5 seconds and relaxing, for 8 to 10 repetitions.
4. Single leg balance
Why it helps: Trains your balance and the small stabilizing muscles around your ankle. Balance and neuromuscular training are strongly recommended to lower the risk of future ankle sprains and chronic instability.
How to do it: Stand near a counter or wall for safety. Lift one foot slightly off the ground and balance on the other leg. Try to hold for 20 to 30 seconds without grabbing the support, then rest. Repeat 2 to 3 times per leg. To make it harder as you improve, you can: turn your head, fold your arms, stand on a folded towel, or gently catch and throw a ball. Stop if you feel unsteady or your pain increases sharply.
Helpful stretches for shin pain
Stretching supports recovery by improving ankle movement and reducing muscle tightness that can increase stress on the tibia. These stretches should feel like a gentle pull, not sharp or burning pain. 6 7
1. Calf stretch
How it helps: Tight calf muscles increase pulling on the heel and plantar fascia. Stretching them can improve comfort with walking and standing.
How to do it: Stand tall and place your foot forward with your knee slightly bent while keeping the other leg straight. Move your weight towards the front foot, until you feel your backwards leg muscles stretching. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, repeat 3 times. You can then repeat with the back knee slightly bent to stretch deeper into the Achilles tendon.
2. Standing hamstring stretch
How it helps: Relieves tension in the back of the leg that can pull on the irritated nerve.
How to do it: Start by placing one foot in front of the other. Bend your body forward, keeping the front knee straight. Push your knee downwards with your hands until you feel the back of your thigh stretching. Hold this position and do it to one side at a time.
3. Ankle dorsiflexion lunge stretch
How it helps: Improves forward ankle bend, which can help with squatting, going down stairs, and walking on inclines. Limited dorsiflexion is linked with higher ankle sprain risk. 1 3
How to do it: Stand tall and keep your heel on the floor, gently bend your knee until you feel a stretch at the front of the ankle or lower calf. Your knee can move over your toes as long as the motion is comfortable. Switch sides. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times.
Did you know?
Many cases of “shin splints” are early bone stress injuries that can fully heal. When this type of shin pain is recognized early and impact is reduced, most people recover with a structured strengthening plan and a gradual return to running, without needing surgery or long periods of rest.2 6 7
Exercises to avoid with shin pain
While you are recovering, some movements can put too much stress on the shin bone and slow healing, especially if you have a bone stress injury. These are general guidelines, not strict rules. Exercises that cause pain can often be added back later as your shin gets stronger and symptoms settle.
Movements that often need to be limited or paused include:
Running and jumping on hard surfaces when pain is still strong or focal. With bone stress injuries, guidelines recommend reducing or stopping impact loading until walking and hopping are pain free and there is no local bone tenderness. 1 2 6 7
Hill sprints and fast downhill running early in rehab. Hills increase load on the tibia and calf. These are usually reintroduced later in a return to run plan once flat running is comfortable. 2 6 7
Plyometrics, like box jumps or skipping drills, added too soon. Jumping and hopping should be added only after you can walk, do strength work, and perform simple hops without pain. 2 6 7
Pushing through severe tightness and pain that predictably builds with exercise and eases with rest, as in suspected chronic exertional compartment syndrome. Continuing full training without assessment can increase risk. These symptoms should be checked by a clinician. 4 8 9
If you are uncertain whether an exercise is safe at your current stage, it is best to pause it and ask your clinician.
Clinical insight
The term “shin splints” is often used for any shin pain, but it can hide important differences. Widespread soreness along the inner shin that hurts with impact and settles with rest is usually lower risk and often improves with reduced impact and strengthening.2 6
