Shin splints can be pesky and painful and they can come back over and over again, or never go away completely in the first place. Shin splints are an overuse of the muscles in front of the shins that lift our toes off the ground. We mainly use them when we walk so we don’t trip over our shoes. In general they tend to get overworked when we add a lot more walking or activity compared to our normal routine. To recover, do active rest for 7-14 days, then work on a strength routine of the muscles of the ankle to strengthen and support the leg for when you get back to your normal routine.