So it is very important that if you think you have shin splints, and they are not responding to rest or treatment, you have a professional look at them because if you wind up with a stress fracture you're looking at a minimum of 6 weeks for it to heal. This causes inflammation in the outer layer of the bone, called the periosteum. It is directly related to the repetitive pounding forces associated with running, etc. The soleus muscle has to flex and pull in response to the pounding and this aggravates the periosteum. I t should be obvious that if we can decrease the pounding forces through the leg we can decrease the likelihood of injury.
Proper footwear is essential.
Running in worn out shoes is often the triggering incident in runners. Make sure that the shoe you are wearing suits your foot type. Also, choose your running surface carefully. The softer the better. Here is a list, from hardest to softest, of common running surfaces.