Question
I had a therapist tell one of athletes who is suffering from shin splints to not try and strengthen them while they are sore.
Specifically not to roll up a towel with toes?
I was always under the impression that to strengthen will deplete injury?
It is my understanding that shin splints are caused my inflammation of the periostium of the tibia. This is normally from over use. I know that strengthening the area through exercise is a great way to reduce the likely hook of developing this type of injury but trying to strengthen the area after the fact will only make it worse. The first recommendation from any doctor or physio for this is normally rest and ice. NSAID can help as well I hear massage can help as well. The best way to avoid this situation is to gradually increase the amount of impact your athlete experiences and run on soft surfaces, like grass, instead of hard surfaces as much as possible.
I myself suffer from chronic shin-splints in both legs (diagnosed as compartment-syndrome) and from my experience the unforgivingness of the surface is less important than the smoothness.
Personally i prefer asphalt over uneven grass.
Shin splints can be categorized . 1/ Tibialis posterior tendonitis. eg. distal third of medial tibia. 2/ anterior compartment syndrome. 3/ anterior tibia pain. All have different mechanisms of injury. therefore 1 treatment protocol will not be effective in treating the problem. which type are we discussing?
What some people call “Shin Splints” is actually a problem with the toe flexors that just so happen to run along the medial side of the tibia.
The root of the problem is biomechanical in origin- Look up or down (Hip, low back or feet).
I common mistake I see high school coaches make is to have athletes do alot of hill work to build up the “base.”
And I mean steep hills-
All hills are not created alike (what would seem like a “small” change in degree of slope can have a major change of on training effect).
As with most injuries most trainers add a healthy serving of RICE
Don’t get me started…
Tom
Explain please. You have got me interested now after don’t get me started 
the solution is very simple, at least for me was… have foot doctor (don´ know how it called in english) make a special support for your feet. This will correct the support and avoid shin splints. I used to have to stop training for two weeks, since then i never had this problem again.
DMA,
I will go into detail at a later date-
RICE with “every” injury-
the side dish that goes with “everything”