shin splints

American  

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. a painful condition of the front lower leg, associated with tendinitis, stress fractures, or muscle strain, often occurring as a result of running or other strenuous athletic activity, especially on a nonresilient surface.

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shin splints British  

noun

1. (functioning as singular or plural) a painful swelling of the front lower leg, associated with muscle or bone inflammation, and common among athletes and other sportspeople

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Etymology

Origin of shin splints

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

In addition to the kind of pain Liem described, other signs of overexercise can include shin splints, tendinitis and stress fractures.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 18, 2022

At 2.5 miles into a 5-mile run, I felt a twinge in my shin — my worst fear since shin splints sidelined me for two months last year.

From The Verge • Feb. 24, 2022

Wasn’t great in college, Barely made the team, All I had was shin splints and a dream.

From Washington Post • Jan. 13, 2022

It can be so disappointing for someone when they get excited about running and then they get something like a bone stress injury, what’s colloquially referred to as shin splints.

From New York Times • Jan. 9, 2022

Or that you pushed yourself too hard in your half-marathon training plan and gave yourself shin splints, and now you probably can’t do the race you’ve spent all summer training for.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison