Can I Lift Weights With Shin Splints?

We all know how debilitating shin splints are when we have them. First and foremost, we must take a break from whatever we were doing (running, jumping, football)  that caused the shin splints. But like all athletes, we still want to be able to exercise properly while we are resting our shin splints. A lot of athletes ask can I lift weights with shin splints? I will now answer this in detail, explaining some exercises you can still do without it affecting your shin splints. Of course, like any exercise we partake in, we must stop immediately if we feel pain in our shin splints.

Can You Lift Weights With Shin Splints?

The answer is YES. You can still lift weights with shin splints. I would try to avoid the activity that caused the shin splints, but there are plenty of other exercises you can partake in as we recover from shin splints. There are many different ways to lift weights. As a gym member, you will see all the different machines aimed at various parts of your body. If you are not a member of a gym, there are various exercises you can do with kettlebells or dumbbells or even just using your body weight.

The following are some of the exercises that you can do:

Bench Press

Lie on a flat bench, holding a weighted bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart using an overhand grip. Engage your core, press your feet into the ground, and lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start.

If you don’t have access to a bench but you have a weighted bar, you can lie on the floor instead of the bench.

Bent Over Row

Hold a barbell, hands just outside your legs. Bend your knees slightly, then bend forwards, hinging from the hips and keeping your shoulder blades back. Pull the bar towards your chest, leading with your elbows, then lower it back to the start.

Bent-over rows can also be done at home with a kettlebell instead of a bar. Follow the same format above, except hold the kettlebell with both hands instead of a bar.

Chin-ups

Hold a chin-up bar, engage your core, then pull yourself up until your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked into your body. Lower until your arms are straight again.

Back Squat

Stand with feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Drive back up through your heels to return to the start.

Overhead Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across your chest with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, press the bar overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it back to the start.

Lateral Raise

While standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing each other. Keep your chest pointing forward, engage your core, and raise the weights to shoulder height. Turn your thumbs down at the top, then lower them back to the start.

Pull-ups

Hold a pull-up bar using an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core, then pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar. Lower back down until your arms are straight again.

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press

Sit on an upright bench holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forwards. Keeping your chest looking forward, press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower them back down to the start.

Hammer Press

Lie on a flat bench, holding dumbbells by your shoulders with palms facing each other. While driving your feet into the floor, press the weights straight up, then lower them slowly back down to the start.

Lat Pulldown

Sit straddling the bench facing the lat pulldown machine. Try and grip the bar wider than shoulder-width apart and knuckles pointed up. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and use your back to pull the bar down to your upper chest. A slight lean back is okay if needed. Slowly extend the arms to your starting position.

Overhead Triceps Extensions

Hold a dumbbell in a diamond grip (make a diamond with your hands and place the bottom of the weight plate in between) and hold it overhead with your arms fully extended. Engage your core, try and relax your shoulders, and keep your elbows tight to your head as you begin to bend your arms. Stop bending when your arms have made a 90-degree angle and press back up to your starting position. You can perform this exercise seated or standing.

Dumbbell Pullover.

Lie face up on a bench with your arms extended above your chest, holding a dumbbell in a diamond grip. Don’t lock out your elbows; have a slight bend in them. Slowly lower your arms above your head until you feel a stretch in your chest and lats. Try and reach as far back as your shoulders allow. Reengage your lats to pull the weight back into starting position.

Final Thoughts

This is a sample of some weight-lifting exercises we can partake in as we recover from shin splints, as no athlete wants to stop training completely when injured. As our shins recover from the shin splints, it gives us a great chance to make our upper body, back, and core much stronger to hopefully prevent any further injuries when we return to running.

If you would like to suggest any other exercises, please comment below; also, please comment on your experience of lifting weights with shin splints.

No matter what exercise we are doing, if we feel any pain in our injured shins, it is time to stop immediately.

I have written a post answering many questions about shin splints.

Related ===> Everything About Shin Splints (30 of your burning questions answered)