Shin splints is an overuse injury and can be caused by running on hard surfaces or running on tip toes. It is also common in sports where a lot of jumping is involved.

Symptoms include tenderness over the inside of the shin, lower leg pain, swelling; lumps and bumps over the bone, pain when the toes or foot are bent downwards, and a redness over the inside of the shin.

Compartment syndrome arises when a muscle becomes too big for the sheath that surrounds it. The big muscle on the outside of the shin is called the tibialis anterior and is surrounded by a sheath. This is called the anterior compartment of the lower leg. Compartment syndrome can be acute or chronic.

Failure to wear shin guards has been shown to notably increase the proportion of leg injuries in soccer players.