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The 5 best running shoes for shin splints
Whether you’re recovering from shin splints or trying to prevent them, these top-rated running shoes are designed to ease the load and protect your legs
If you’ve ever suffered from shin splints – also known as medial tibial stress syndrome – you’ll probably want to do everything in your power to stop them from returning. Most commonly presented as a persistent, nagging pain typically concentrated in the bony part of the shin, shin splints can be caused by a number of factors, from poor biomechanics (including poor hip rotation, overpronation of the foot and flat feet) to increasing your volume and/or intensity of training too quickly.
While incorrect footwear isn’t a direct cause, ‘it can definitely be a contributing factor or make current symptoms worse,’ says Luke Van der Feen, a running-specific physiotherapist at The Running Room in London. ‘Worn-out shoes or shoes that do not suit a certain runner's mechanics can alter the way that the shin is loaded, which can definitely contribute to increased traction [pulling] from muscles or increased localised bone forces.’
If you can, it’s worth getting your gait analysed at a dedicated running store, where a specialist can check if your shoes are right for you. It might be that you need shoes that help to control your pronation or a pair of orthotic insoles to unload the inside part of your foot’s arch.
However, there are some additional shoe features that can be helpful for runners dealing with shin splints. With help from experts, we’ve created a framework and highlighted models that have proven effective in easing the pain for some runners.
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What to look for
According to Van der Feen, when working with runners dealing with shin splints, he looks for the following features in a running shoe, depending on the individual’s mechanics:
Cushioning
Shoes with sufficient cushioning in the heel and forefoot can help to absorb shock and reduce the repetitive impact that can aggravate shin splints. Generally, ‘a moderate to high stack height, with a responsive foam is a safe place to start,’ says Van Der Feen.
‘Excessively firm shoes or minimalist shoes can increase ground reaction force and irritate the periosteum [the sheath outside your bones that supplies them with blood] of the tibia,’ he adds, ‘Some newer high-stack shoes can create instability that then requires additional demands at the ankle.’
For this guide, we’ve selected shoes with a heel stack between 33mm and 40mm – avoiding shoes above 40mm that would generally be categorised as max-cushioned.
Heel-to-toe drop
The ‘drop’ of a shoe – the difference between the height of the heel and the forefoot – is also worth considering when it comes to shin splints. Higher drop shoes (around 8-10mm), says Van der Feen, can reduce the load on the posterior chain [the group of muscles located on the back of the body] which can lead to lower pulling forces from the calf. On the other end of the spectrum, lower drop shoes often require a gradual introduction period as they place a much greater load on the calf.
Stability features
Mild medial support can be helpful for overpronators, especially those with a history of shin pain. However, going too rigid in the posting can be too much for some runners, says Van der Feen, actually making symptoms feel worse. Again, it’s worth getting a gait analysis at a dedicated running store to determine the level of support you need.
Flexibility
Shoes that are too stiff can strain your shins, while too much flexibility can cause instability. You want a shoe with balance. Generally speaking, that means avoiding shoes with full-length carbon-fibre plates, as these tend to be very rigid, as well as barefoot shoes, which are extremely flexible and have very little cushioning.
Keep it fresh
Worn-out shoes with compressed midsoles offer less protection and support. There’s no hard-and-fast number or rule for when to replace running shoes, but if the cushioning starts to feel flat, you notice wear-and-tear in particular areas, or you just don't feel like you're getting the same level of support you used to, these can be signs that it’s time for a new pair.
How we selected
To select these shoes, we used input from Van der Feen about what kind of shoes are best for alleviating shin splints. According to him, the most important features to look for are a medium-to-high stack height, a higher heel-to-toe drop (8-10mm) and stability or support features for runners whose biomechanics require it. The following options are all shoes that we have found to provide the comfort runners need while working through medial tibial stress syndrome.
If you are dealing with shin splints, it is best to consult a physiotherapist who can work with you on a recovery plan. According to Van der Feen, depending on the level of severity, this usually starts with load management: reducing your volume and/or intensity of training (‘some runners may be able to keep one or the other depending on their symptoms and training history,’ he says), substituting running with low-impact cross training, and soft-tissue work to the calf complex. He would then look to address hip, foot, calf and core weaknesses (as there is often more to the puzzle than just the shin) and running mechanics, such as overstriding.
The best running shoes for shin splints
Pros
- Soft cushioning for daily miles
- Great for beginners
- Livelier than previous version
Cons
- Lacks a 'wow' factor
Read our full Brooks Ghost 17 review
If there’s one shoe we find ourselves recommending time and again to new runners, it’s the Brooks Ghost. Dependable, comfortable and endlessly wearable, it’s long been a standout in the daily trainer category — and Brooks’s best-selling model for good reason.
In the v17, Brooks has added 3mm of nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 foam to the heel and 1mm to the forefoot, positioning the offset at 10mm. The cushioning feels balanced and supportive, and there’s a nice smooth transition from the landing phase to push off.
The fit is excellent, too. The length and width of the shoe are spot on. Our tester experienced no hot spots, the tongue sits neatly and the padding strikes the just-right balance — not too minimal, but not overly built-up like more max-cushioned offers from the brand.
There are no bells or whistles here, but as long as you take into account what this shoe is meant for — sans carbon plate or super foams — you’ll reap all those ‘Run Happy’ miles as Brooks’s slogan always intended.
| Weight | 292g (M), 240g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36.5mm (heel), 26.5mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 10mm |
| Type | Neutral |
Pros
- Cushioned yet responsive
- Dialled in upper
- Versatile across distances/speeds
Cons
- Some minor heel slippage
Read our full Saucony Ride 18 review
The Ride has always been Saucony’s staple daily workhorse, designed to help neutral runners tackle the majority of their miles. It’s not a particularly flashy shoe and Saucony hasn’t throw the kitchen sink at it in terms of carbon plates and super foams. It is, quite simply, a solid, dependable daily trainer that offers fantastic bang for your buck.
The latest iteration has received very minor tweaks that allow it to maintain what so many loved about the v17. Namely, a reformulated midsole (which Saucony is still calling Pwrrun+, even though it’s lighter and snappier than the v17) and a refined fit. The latter comes in the form of a new engineered mesh upper that feels a bit more taunt and structured than that of the v17, creating a more dialled in fit around the midfoot. The heel counter is quite stiff, but it’s well padded – a touch more so than the v17 – which helps to avoid any issues, and a new lacing system makes things smoother.
Meanwhile, the midsole offers versatility in abundance. During testing, it’s been used for long ultra-training miles, commutes with a bag, speed work and everything in between, successfully treading the ground between offering enough cushioning for those slower, easy runs, while still retaining a liveliness that lends itself well to some faster running.
| Weight | 278g (UK 8.5) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 35mm (heel), 27mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral |
Pros
- Softer and more responsive than v40
- Secure mid-foot band
- Affordable, daily workhorse
Cons
- Not nimble enough for speed work
There’s a reason that the Pegasus is in its 41th iteration — the ‘workhorse with wings’ really does deliver. It's also an ideal shoe for runners looking for something a little peppier yet still supportive.
When you step in to the Pegasus, you do immediately feel that comfort hugging your foot securely in place. The 10mm heel-to-toe drop remains the same and there’s the usual Air Zoom units in the forefoot and the heel to complete the cushioning system. The ReactX midsole, meanwhile, provides 13% more energy return than the Pegasus 40.
All in all, the Pegasus 41 offers a solid, stable and comfortably cushioned ride, and it’s a shoe that can take a lot of mileage and a lot of pounding on the tarmac. While it may not feel nimble enough to be a speed-day shoe of choice, its durability and comfort make it a supremely reliable everyday training option.
| Weight | 251g (M), 297g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 37mm (heel), 27mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 10mm |
| Type | Neutral |
Pros
- Lightweight for a stability shoe
- Responsive midsole with good firmness and energy return
- Effective arch support
Cons
- A tad warm during longer efforts
Read our full Saucony Tempus 2 review
Saucony’s Tempus 2 proves that if you’re an overpronator who requires extra support in your running shoes – or even a neutral-gait runner looking for a more supportive daily trainer – you can absolutely still get a quick, versatile ride without compromising on those stability features.
The shoe fits slightly narrower in the forefoot than the first iteration, though our tester still found it to be sufficiently spacious and about average in terms of wiggle room around the toes and at the sides of the feet. Saucony has also introduced a more substantial upper made of engineered mesh that wraps the foot nicely, giving a supportive, locked-in feel that doesn’t feel overly cushioned or restrictive.
Despite weighing in at around 315g (UK 11), the Tempus 2 feels lightweight underfoot and our tester had no issues picking up the cadence on faster efforts. The midsole consists of a combination of Saucony’s energetic PWRRUN PB foam and the more rigid, high-density PWRRUN frame. This combo gives the shoe a firm and balanced underfoot feel, particularly at the forefoot, and extra support in the arches, while the stiffness and rigidity at the midfoot and forefoot is what gives the shoe its responsiveness.
As for stability, the medial arch support at the inner heels corrects overpronation and reduces that lateral role — but not overly so. The stiffness of the heel also gives structure and balance, without sacrificing too much in terms of speed. In short? This is a lightweight shoe that’s excellent for overpronators wanting to run fast.
| Weight | 315g (UK men’s size 11) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 33mm (heel), 25mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Stability |
Pros
- Support tech isn’t intrusive
- Rocker sole creates smooth transitions
- Ample cushioning
Cons
- Firmer ride
- Pricey for a daily trainer
Year after year, the Gel-Kayano lands on our list of the best shoes for overpronation for its comfortable fit and smooth ride — and it also has the features we'd look for in a running shoe for shin splints.
For the 32nd iteration, Asics added 2mm of cushioning in the forefoot, which reduces the drop from 10mm to 8mm and helps promote a gentler transition from landing to toe-off. Despite the added foam, this shoe is actually lighter than the 31. Like its predecessor, the Gel-Kayano 32 features FlyteFoam Blast+ midsole foam paired with a layer of Pure Gel in the heel. These materials absorb impacts well, but in this shoe they create a firmer ride than Asics’s other cushioned shoes, like the Gel-Nimbus.
The Gel-Kayano is built with Asics’s 4D Guidance System, a holistic set of stability design features: a layer of supportive, bouncy foam under the arch, high foam sidewalls that cradle your foot, and a wide, full-contact sole with a rocker shape for smooth transitions. These features resist overpronation without aggressively poking upward into your arch. Instead, they gently guide your foot, keeping it properly aligned within the shoe as you run.
Overall, the shoe serves up a comfortable, planted feel, and the support features work together well to keep your feet properly oriented.
| Weight | 300g (M), 260g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 40mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Stability |
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