What to do for ongoing leg pain and foot discomfort after starting track training? - #29220
I started track this year and at the beginning of the season I started feeling sharp pains in my right lower leg and was told by a medical sports person that I had the beginnings of shin splints. now, it has been about 1 and a half months and I no longer feel sharp pains but I have started doing stretches and exercises to strengthen the muscles to try to get rid of shin splints and now I have an overall pain on both lower legs sometimes but I can't tell if it is actual pain or just soreness from the muscles growing. This week I started doing ice after practice and I feel amazing with little to no pain what so ever for the rest of the day then I wake up and it hurts so bad and it is a cycle that has been happening this week and like I said I don't know if it is just soreness or actual pain also I recently started getting a pain on the top of my right foot only if I press it... no bruising/swelling/etc anywhere
How would you describe the pain in your legs?:
- Dull and achyWhen did you first notice the pain on the top of your foot?:
- This weekHow long does the pain last after you wake up?:
- Most of the dayHave you made any changes to your training or stretching routine recently?:
- No, same routineHow often are you icing your legs after practice?:
- A few times a weekDo you have any other symptoms like swelling or bruising?:
- No, none at allHow would you rate your overall physical activity level outside of track?:
- Moderately active100% Anonymously
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Doctors' responses
Your pattern of pain—history of early Shin splints, improvement with ice, morning pain that lasts most of the day, and new tenderness on the top of the foot when pressed—most often means overuse soreness that is still healing, but it can also signal the early stages of a Stress fracture, especially in runners.
Right now, this sounds borderline between normal training soreness and overuse injury, with the foot pain being the key warning sign to watch.
What to do now: Reduce running intensity and volume for about 7–10 days (not full rest, but lighter training). Continue icing after practice for 15–20 minutes. Use supportive running shoes and avoid hard surfaces if possible. Gentle stretching and strengthening are good, but avoid pushing through pain. If pain is present when simply pressing on the top of the foot, limit sprinting and jumping until it settles.
Signs it’s likely just soreness: pain improves with rest/ice, no swelling, you can walk normally, and performance is only mildly affected. Signs to get checked soon: pain in one exact spot on the foot or shin, pain that persists all day, worsening pain with running, limping, or pain that doesn’t improve after 1–2 weeks of reduced training. In those cases, a clinician may order an X-ray or scan to rule out a stress fracture.
Overall, because you already had shin splints earlier this season and now have new localized foot tenderness, the safest approach is temporary load reduction rather than pushing through—this often prevents a minor overuse problem from becoming a true fracture.
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