Anatomy
Many people think that shin splints are just a mixture of lower leg problems. However, it's more specifically called Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome or MTSS. To understand shin splints you need to know the main bones, muscles, and tendons surrounding the area. The tibia and the fibula play a major role in shin splints because they have many muscles surrounding and near these two bones. So when these muscles are overworked they tug on the tibia and fibula therefore causing pain.