Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), is defined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as pain along the inner edge of the shinbone (tibia)..Shin splints are usually caused by repeated trauma to the connective muscle tissue surrounding the tibia.erobic dancers have also been known to suffer from shin splints, with injury rates as high as 22%. Military personnel undergoing basic training experience shin splints injury rates between 4%-6.4% and 7.9%.