If you start to feel pain in your front, lower leg, there's a good chance you have shin splints. Shin splints are a stress injury, usually the result of overuse, and can be either muscle or bone-related which makes them difficult to treat. Most, however, are bone-related, especially for runners. In other words, the constant pounding of your feet has made your shinbones painfully swell.
Treatment: Experts agree that treatment requires a full hiatus from running until the pain is gone (brutal, we know). To speed up the process, ice and elevate your shins to reduce any swelling. Anti-inflammatory medication like Advil can also help, but always consult your doctor first.
Prevention: Aggressively upping your mileage is the most common cause of shin splints in runners. Instead, slowly build your way up, even if you're not experiencing any pain. If you have reoccurring shin splits, the injury may be more serious and point to a stress fracture. Now it is definitely time to consult your doctor.