In my experience, shin splints don't go away very quickly if you keep training. Let it heal. Start slow. Do a walk/run for a while and slowly increase the run portion. Mix the training with biking, cross counrty skiing, or swimming.
this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2025
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Shin splints are typically from a muscle imbalance.
Running with shin splints isn’t likely going to help with that. Better off recovering and using other methods like cycling or weight lifting to target the weaker muscle group.
Is it actually cramping? A 7 day recovery sounds a lot more like strained/pulled muscles from over-training. Considering your age, the distance and the fact that you haven't run for months, it sounds like you're simply running too much, too soon.
Both heads of my calf muscle feel like solid iron, solid marble,solid steel, hard as a rock and the most painful thing is walking down stairs or starting to walk after I've been sitting still for a while. I honestly don't even know why I mentioned shin splints, it's not shin splints, I was just using a term that is probably more understandable and relatable to anyone, but it's actually my calves that scream in pain.
Yes I think you're right, strained or pulled muscles from overtraining, suddenly running 8 miles after being sedentary for a while is kinda not a great idea especially being 50 years old. but it's freaking me out cuz I've never been old before 😢 I used to be able to jump right back into running no matter how long I'd rested and it was so easy, but I guess those days are over. Aging is no joke.
Yeah I get the same if I run too far after a period of inactivity. You'll be able to run daily eventually, it will just take a while for all those muscles to build up their strength and get used to being used again and unfortunately the only comfortable way to do that is by starting with much shorter runs. I went for a run last week after a few months off (precautionary due to knee scare) and pushed it too hard, navigating the stairs has been a pain (literally)!
Thank you, update: I've been going light on the running, like I stopped at a quarter mile the first time (even though I wanted to go TEN), and then I stopped at one mile the next time, and my calves are a little bit sore but not incapacitated like before, and I am on the up and up again. Thank you for your advice.
You're welcome, I should go for a post-Christmas run myself!
Wonderful, yes! Go out there and enjoy it 😊
Shin splints refers to a few conditions, best to get it diagnosed. Could be stress fractures, could be compartment syndrome.