6 Best Trainers For Shin Splints in 2025

How we test trainers for shin splints

Having an independent shoe testing lab means having standardised tests and completely transparent and objective processes. Here's what you should know about our tests:

1. All the tests are standardised, which means that each sneaker is tested under the same conditions. Just because one sneaker is made of knit does not mean we will be gentler than when working with a leather one. You can read more about our tests on the Methodology page.
2. We update our tests as needed, which also means we buy new machines to provide even more data and an in-depth understanding of why certain things work better or worse for people. 
3. Every sneaker that has been tested in our lab was purchased with our own money. We don't have contracts with the brands. Our reviews are honest and unbiased, and we let the data speak for itself. 
4. Based on both our field testing and lab testing, we are able to pick the select few that have proven to be better than the rest. We do that and publish those shoes under top picks in our guides. 

What are shin splints?

Shin splints are caused by the repetitive stress on the shin bone and surrounding tissues. This repetitive stress causes tenderness and pain at the front of the lower legs on the inner side (posterior/medial shin splints). Anterior shin splints are less common.

The shin bone is called the tibia, so shin splints are known as medial tibial stress syndrome. This repetitive stress often comes from running, increasing the mileage significantly, harder exercises, and so on. 

The pain often goes away when the repetitive activity is stopped. As always, we recommend seeing a specialist for a proper diagnosis, especially if the pain becomes chronic. Specialists may give a more in-depth understanding of what's happening and conclude that maybe it was the wrong footwear, overpronation, or some imbalance/compensation that triggered the shin splints. 

In our lab, we cut all trainers for shin splints into pieces to perform all the standardised tests.

4 features to look for in trainers for shin splints 

There are 3 sneaker features we recommend you look for if you’re dealing with shin splints. This list comes from our extensive field- and lab-testing experience. We found this set of features to work because they help on multiple fronts: lowering the impact forces by providing a cushioned platform to land on, making the platform stable to reduce unnecessary muscle work, and utilising muscles above the shin bone thanks to a higher heel drop. 

1. Heel stack height = 35 mm or more. This will give you enough midsole below your feet to absorb shock. It’s also a big plus for comfort! 
2. Torsionally rigid platforms. This adds stability to the platform, and when feet are not wobbling, they are not overworking the already overused lower-leg muscles. We recommend platforms that scored 3 or more on our torsional rigidity assessment. 
3. Wide platforms and, by wide, we mean at least 90 mm at the heel. We measure the width of every sneaker midsole that goes through our lab, so you are covered. This extra width ensures planted landings, which is much needed for those struggling with whin splints.

Below, we will dig deep into all of these features and one more: heel-to-toe drop. 

Look for cushioned trainers 

Cushioning comes in wildly different options, from very flat and minimalist trainers, to high-off-the-ground chunky ones. For shin splints, we recommend at least 30 mm at the heel. 

Minimalist trainers and those that are lower to the ground do not offer enough impact protection in our experience. When hitting the hard surface over and over again, like concrete, asphalt, cobblestone, or tiles, we recommend cushioned trainers that bring more comfort for your legs and that do not make you alter your gait due to the lack of midsole. 

Even though we recommend cushioned trainers, you should decide how soft you want them to be.

Too soft, and they may be unstable or dull, which can cause premature muscle fatigue. Too firm, and they may be too harsh for you. 

The importance of heel drop for medial tibial stress syndrome

The difference between the heel stack height and forefoot stack height is the heel drop or heel-to-toe drop. It basically tells us how steep the sneaker is (on the inside, it may look more or less steep on the outside, depending on the design). 

Now, what does this have to do with shin splints? Well, heel drop works like this: the lower it is, the more the lower leg muscles the sneaker utilises. So, if the platform is flat, or we have a zero drop, the trainers will make your foot muscles work a lot. 

If, on the other hand, heel drop is 10mm or higher, it will make higher-leg muscles work the most, think hips, glutes, and so on. 10 mm is actually a non-written industry standard and, unless you’ve been specifically into minimalist or barefoot footwear, you may be used to a high drop. 

Given that the shin bone is located between the knee and the ankle, the low drop (from 1 to 4 mm) would put even more stress on that area. Because of this, we recommend being mindful of the heel drop when dealing with shin splints. 

Rigid trainers are better for shin splints 

When examining the trainers and holding them in your hands, you can try to a) bend them and b) twist them. When we bend trainers, we test longitudinal stiffness. When we twist them, we assess torsional rigidity. 

When performing this assessment, we assing a 1-5 score to each sneaker, where 5/5 is the most rigid and 1/5 the least. The sneaker above scored 3/5  

This sneaker scored 5/5 on our test, meaning it is very rigid 

Torsional rigidity brings extra support and stability. We also recommend it for flat feet, overpronation, and painful Achilles tendons. For shin splints, we recommend trainers that scored at least 3/5 on our torsional rigidity assessment. 

More flexible platforms feel more natural and are usually more comfortable. Stiffer ones, which require more force to bend to 30 degrees, are great for uneven terrain. This is a feature that shines bright in hiking shoes, for example. 

Wide platform is the way to go! 

Wide platforms are more stable; it is that simple. However, one might want to draw the line somewhere: when the sneaker becomes chunky and/or too heavy for them. 

This is more like a precaution. Once the trainers get too high (heel stack height), they can also become unstable if the platform is narrow. 

However, rest assured, wide does not have to mean chunky. Our lower limit, 90 mm, is not that wide, actually! Many trainers fulfil this criterion. 

Another thing to pay attention to is the weight. This is not an issue if you’re using trainers for very short distances or just hanging out (and looking good). If, on the other hand, you plan to walk a lot in these trainers, maybe even travel, and explore different areas, heavy trainers may bother you as they will not “disappear on your feet.” 

Breathability of trainers for shin splints 

Breathability depends on the material used to make the trainers, the toebox specifically, and on the design. Some trainers don’t need ventilation holes because the material is very loose and, by default, allows the air to pass through, while others, for example, those made of leather, need ventilation holes poked through. 

To test the breathability of trainers, we direct the smoke from our smoke machine into the toebox and then watch how much of it comes out and how fast. Based on this, we assign a 1-5 breathability rating to each sneaker, 1/5 being the least breathable and 5/5 the most 

While the smoke test is enough on its own to tell us how breathable the sneaker is, we don’t stop there. We want to know why some trainers scored 2/5 or 5/5 if it is not visible to the naked eye. To do this, we use a microscope. 

Looking at the uppers under the microscope allows us to see all the possible details. Some threads are loose, others are packed. Waterproof materials are insanely dense, and basically no air comes through. 

The most interesting part is figuring out whether the vent holes are fake or real. Yes, some brands make decorative ventilation holes! Go fig. 

Durability of trainers for shin splints 

When buying new trainers, most of us want them to last as long as possible. Especially if we plan to abuse them daily, all around the town. For RunRepeat to deliver, we had to test the durability of 3 different sneaker parts: the toebox, the heel padding, and the outsole. 

We press a dremel against the toebox during our standardised test. Standardised means we always use the same pressure, RPMs, and time duration. Based on the damage, we assign a 1-5 durability score, where 1/5 is the least durable. The toebox in the video got 1/5

Sneaker toeboxes are made from different materials and real leather and suede are, of course, more durable than other materials. Knit is usually (not a rule) the least durable. 

We use the same approach to test the heel padding area and assign a 1-5 durability score to each sneaker. The one in the video got a 1/5 rating

Depending on whether you use a shoe horn or not, the shape of your heel bone, and overall material quality, the heel padding area may last longer for you (5/5 for the most durable) or shorter (1/5 for the least durable). 

Budget-friendly trainers for tibial stress syndrome

Maybe everything above sounds too fancy to you. Fortunately, most of the features we mentioned are very common! And they do not include any expensive technologies. From the top of the head, waterproof membranes or stabilising technologies for overpronation or flat feet would be more expensive. 

The table above lists trainers for shin splints that were the cheapest when they were released (that’s why it says MSRP = manufacturer’s suggested retail price). However, trainers are discounted all the time! If you’re looking for a good deal, we suggest you visit our trainers deal page or subscribe to our price alerts. We will email you once the price drops.