Why Do My Shins Hurt When Running?

Let’s start with a quick kinesiology lesson: As you run, every foot striketriggers ground reaction forces that surge back up through your body. These forces can equal nearly three times your bodyweight, research suggests, with most of that stress going into your lower leg. “It makes sense, because the foot hits the ground, and then the shin is right there,” physical therapist Ryan Chow, P.T., D.P.T., founder of Reload Physical Therapy and Fitness in New York City, tells Runner’s World.