4. Shin splints

Description: Pain in the lower leg localised at the front of the shin. Shin splints are a common problem, especially if you are new to running. There can be several causes of shin splints:

•  Incorrect footwear. If your shoes have insufficient cushioning, then an excessive amount of shock can be transmitted up the leg. Alternatively, if your shoes don't provide enough support then you can over-pronate – which is when your foot collapses inwards during motion.

•  Increase in training. Too rapid an increase in training can result in an imbalance between the muscles at the front of the leg and the sheaths that surround them. This means the muscles will grow faster then the sheaths, and so pressure will be caused around the shin when the muscles expand during exercise.

•  Hard training surfaces. Too much training on hard surfaces can cause shin soreness – so try to run on softer surfaces to vary your training.

•  Overtraining. Excessive training may result in a stress fracture of the tibia (shin bone).

Treatment: For footwear problems, seek advice from a reputable running shoe retailer, who will be able to advise on appropriate cushioned and/or supportive shoes. Also, avoid training solely on hard surfaces such as concrete and tarmac, build your mileage slowly – increasing by no more than 10% each week – and avoid overtraining by factoring in rest days in your programme. If the problem persists then seek specialist advice, as shin soreness can indicate a stress fracture – which can only be confirmed by an X-ray.

Training and racing: Running with shin splints will cause discomfort, so until the problem is resolved just maintain your cardiovascular fitness with alternative activities such as swimming and cycling. You may also be able to run on grass without any pain – but you should still seek to resolve the root cause of the problem.