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Shin splints are a common overuse injury, and, of course, we have experienced them. The best thing about working with footwear in our lab is that we can check our personal experience against the lab data. That's exactly what we did and why we can present all our findings in this guide.
We also selected the top picks in different categories so that you don't have to open tons of tabs to find an answer and for faster navigation. If you're curious about which features are needed when one is dealing with shin splints and how we measure each and every one, the whole guide awaits you.
How we test sneakers for shin splints
Having an independent shoe testing lab means having standardized tests and completely transparent and objective processes. Here's what you should know about our tests:
- All the tests are standardized, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Best sneakers for shin splints overall
What makes it the best?
New Balance 9060 is unrealistically comfortable and it offers a platform that's wide and stable. With its generous cushioning, high heel drop, and robust design, we loved it so much we had to make it the best overall sneaker for shin splints!
At the heel, we measured 37.3 mm. This is around 7 mm higher than the average sneaker and 2.3 mm more than we set as the lower limit for shin splints. Those 37.3 mm are not there just for the looks, although we absolutely love the design as well! When we stuck the durometer needle into the midsole, we got a reading of 19.4. No wonder the 9060 is so comfortable, its platform is 33.6% softer than the average sneaker!
When we tried to twist the sneaker, we got a rating of 4/5 for torsional rigidity. For shin splints, we want at least 3, so again, the New Balance 9060 scores high! And its heel drop turned out to be 11.3 mm, which is great for shin splints. We want to offload the lower legs as much as possible, and high heel drop does exactly that. It utilizes higher leg muscles more which is why the 9060 feels so good when you're experiencing shin splints.
If you needed a cherry on top, here it is: we burned the suede overlays and realized it was real suede! It burns evenly, does not burst into flames, smells of burnt animal hair and does not become sticky. Great!
If your toes often need more room in the toebox, stay away from the New Balance 9060. Its toebox is narrow (more than 3 mm narrower than the average) and will then cramp your toes.
Pros
- Next-level comfort
- Excellent craftsmanship
- Quite heavy-duty
- Dope aesthetics
- Looks better in person
- Premium-grade materials
- Stable
- Great grip on dry and wet
Cons
- Limited color options
- Squeaks
- A tad warm
Best sneakers for shin splints for all day use
What makes it the best?
The New Balance 1000 is our #1 pick for all-day use when dealing with shin splints and here's why: it features remarkable cushioning, at 13.2 oz or 373g it does not weigh us down after hours of walking in it, its platform is wide and super stable, and it's as breathable as it gets! No sweaty feet, not even in hot weather!
For shin splints, our criteria for heel stack height is a minimum of 30 mm. New Balance 1000 passes this with flying colors with its 36.5 mm high platform. What also works wonders for shin splints is a high heel drop and here, we found 11.3 mm. As the heel drop grows, the muscles that are utilized the most while walking are also set higher up the legs. In zero-drop sneakers, we use our foot muscles the most, while in 9+ mm heel drop sneakers, we use our higher-leg muscles the most. This is a great feature to rely on when we don't want to overwork the shin bones and the surrounding tissues.
This superb comfort is all about the cushioning and padding. And, there's a lot of both! The platform is also very soft, with our shore A durometer showing 18.5, it's actually 37% softer than the average sneaker. But, what works wonders here is its stability. Thanks to a wide platform and upper overlays, the lockdown and the lateral stability are 10/10.
While the outsole is durable, the toebox and the heel padding area (that you may rub with your protruding heel bone or damage prematurely if not using a shoe horn) are not. If the overall durability is your priority, we recommend looking for a different pair.
Pros
- Really comfortable for all-day wear
- Soft and protective cushioning
- Great lockdown and surefootness
- Nice stability (wide platform)
- Lightweight on foot but with padded interiors
- Incredibly breathable
- Real suede
- Super stylish
- Trendy retro vibe
Cons
- Frail mesh components
- Tongue might be too long for some
Sneakers for shin splints with the best breathability
What makes it the best?
Nike Air Max 270 scored a perfect 5/5 on our breathability test. We pumped the smoke into the toebox and watched it come out quickly and evenly. Actually, we knew it was gonna be like this when we looked at the upper against a flashlight, the light shone through. We did not stop there, so we looked at the upper under the microscope. While it looks like it's woven material only, we also see gaps covered with mesh, and those gaps make the 270 so breathable! The woven segments are also loose and not packed tightly, which helps get to that perfect 5/5 breathability score.
This sneaker sits on one of the steepest platforms we had in our lab among sneakers! With a heel drop of 16.1 mm (average is 11.2 mm), you don't have to worry that your shins will be overworked. High heel drop activates high leg muscles and given the extreme height of this heel drop, we know the muscles around the hips will be working a lot!
Another thing we prioritize in sneakers for shin splints is a wide platform. We want all the stability and support we can get! Nike Air Max 270 delivers with 92.1 mm of platform width at the heel, which is almost 1cm wider than the average!
When we tested this sneaker using a grip-testing machine, we discovered it scored low, 0.34. This is 19% worse than the average and it means the Air Max 270 is slippery on wet surfaces. If you plan to use a sneaker in wet weather a lot, skip this one.
Pros
- All-day comfort
- Incredibly lightweight
- Flexible structure
- Practical booty-like construction
- Perfect for active people
- Cool Nike Air technology
- Trendy futuristic vibe
- Super stylish colorways
Cons
- Upper lacks durability
- Not for people with wide feet
- Can be slippery on wet
Sneakers for shin splints with the best grip
What makes it the best?
When talking about shin splints, we focus on the stability, cushioning, and torsional rigidity. But, even on the widest platforms, we experience instability when the outsole is simply not grippy enough. That's when New Balance 327 enters the scene, delivering everything we want in a sneaker for shin splints and then some: a superb grip!
To test the grip, we apply a force of 500N on a shoe's heel, while the shoe is angled (7-degree angle). We performed the test against the wet concrete, and the machine showed a high friction score of 0.51 for New Balance 327. This makes the NB 327 17% grippier than the average sneaker, and it means it won't fail you regardless of whether you're walking on wet or dry surfaces.
Given that the shin splints cause pain in the lower legs, we try to "save" them as much as possible. Cushioned sneakers help a lot, and New Balance 327 does not disappoint! 35 mm at the heel + a 10 mm drop. Sounds dreamy! Not just that, but the platform is also wide, at 90.6 mm, it's around 7 mm wider than the average. The cushioning is somewhat softer than average, but in combination with a wide platform and a torsionally rigid platform (scored 4 out of 5 on our torsional rigidity assessment), it feels stable as well. It is not wobbly at all.
If you have wide feet or need a wide toebox, this is not a shoe for you. While its shoe width and toebox width are only slightly above the average, they are in no way classified as wide.
Pros
- Fashionably sporty
- Well-cushioned
- Stable and planted platform
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Above average breathability
- Excellent grip
- Suitable for driving
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Not suitable for wide feet
- Not as supportive as other NB sneakers
Best futuristic sneakers for shin splints
What makes it the best?
The aggressive heel drop (it's a steep-looking shoe), eyelets placed very low on the sides, spacey outsole and foam texture, alternating ventilation hole sizes, the design of the Adidas Alphaboost V1 screams future! It even looks like footwear from futuristic movies. Not just that, but it also delivers on all fronts needed for a proper sneaker for shin splints.
Starting from the bottom, we used digital calipers to measure the width of the platform and the heel and got a reading of 102.9 mm. You may think, "Well, great," but without context, we can't know how great this is. So, here's some context: Alphaboost V1 is 20 mm wider than the average sneaker in this area! That's chunky for sure! And super stable. There's absolutely no wobbling. This platform is also rather steep, with a heel-to-toe drop of 13.2 mm. Slightly higher than the average but to our advantage. When dealing with shin splints, we want to deload the lower legs and a high heel drop does exactly that by utilizing higher-leg muscles much more.
What helps this sneaker be so stable is its torsional rigidity: we tried twisting it but it resisted heavily. This meant there was nothing else we could do but assign it the highest torsional rigidity rating: 5/5. When you take into account that the average score for sneakers is 3.6, you understand how the Alphaboost V1 uses this to offer a perfect platform for shin splints with no lateral instability.
If you have wide fit, we recommend looking for alternatives. Both at the widest part and at the big toe, we got a narrow reading.
Pros
- All-day comfort
- Springy ride
- Well-cushioned
- Great for casual runs
- Smooth heel-to-toe transitions
- Amazingly stable platform
- Futuristic look
- Versatile for many activities
Cons
- Largely inflexible structure
- Flimsy heel hold
Best cold-weather sneakers for shin splints
What makes it the best?
The upper on the Nike Air Max Pulse looked somewhat breathable when put against the flashlight, but we know better than to judge breathability based on this only. So, we pumped smoke into the toebox and watched it not come out. Nothing. We had to assign the lowest breathability score to the Air Max Pulse (1/5), and, given how it wonderfully ticks all the boxes we need when dealing with shin splints, we also had to make it our best out of the best shoe for shin splints and cold weather.
After doing the smoke test, we also looked at the upper under the microscope. We saw multiple layers, intertwined threads, and absolutely no ventilation holes. The 1/5 result completely makes sense. This makes the sneaker perfect for cold weather as it traps all the heat. There are no worries about the overall experience either, because the Nike Air Max Pulse features a wide and stable platform, which is more than welcome for shin splints. Not just that, but the midsole is 25% softer than average! It feels great and not wobbly at all.
The lower the injury is on the legs, the higher the drop is needed. Nike Air Max Pulse took this very seriously! We measured a drop of 14.8 mm! That's very steep, especially given the average, which sits at 11.2 mm.
In case you're looking for a winter sneaker for shin splints that's also lightweight, you may want to consider other options. Nike Air Max Pulse weighs 15.1 oz (428g), which is 9% heavier than average. These might weigh you down if you're not already used to heavier sneakers.
Pros
- All-day comfort
- Wonderful Air cushioning
- Bouncy midsole
- Versatile aesthetic for casual days
- Trendy sporty vibe
- Foot-hugging design
- Durable waffle outsole
- No break-in needed
Cons
- Heavier than average
- Not for running
- Some people might not like its high drop
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 sneakers for shin splints into pieces to perform all the standardized tests.
4 features to look for in sneakers 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 utilizing muscles above the shin bone thanks to a higher heel drop.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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 sneakers
Cushioning comes in wildly different options, from very flat and minimalist sneakers, to high-off-the-ground chunky ones. For shin splints, we recommend at least 30 mm at the heel.
Minimalist sneakers 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 sneakers 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 sneakers, 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 utilizes. So, if the platform is flat, or we have a zero drop, the sneakers 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 sneakers are better for shin splints
When examining the sneakers and holding them in your hands, you can try to a) bend them and b) twist them. When we bend sneakers, 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 sneakers 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 sneakers 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 sneakers fulfill this criterion.
Another thing to pay attention to is the weight. This is not an issue if you’re using sneakers for very short distances or just hanging out (and looking good). If, on the other hand, you plan to walk a lot in these sneakers, maybe even travel, and explore different areas, heavy sneakers may bother you as they will not “disappear on your feet.”
Breathability of sneakers for shin splints
Breathability depends on the material used to make the sneakers, the toebox specifically, and on the design. Some sneakers 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 sneakers, 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 sneakers 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 sneakers for shin splints
When buying new sneakers, 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 standardized test. Standardized 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 sneakers 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 stabilizing technologies for overpronation or flat feet would be more expensive.
The table above lists sneakers for shin splints that were the cheapest when they were released (that’s why it says MSRP = manufacturer’s suggested retail price). However, sneakers are discounted all the time! If you’re looking for a good deal, we suggest you visit our sneakers deal page or subscribe to our price alerts. We will email you once the price drops.
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