Could i have stress fractures in my shins, or worse? i have never ran before, but recently have been running 5-7 miles a week. my shins, calves, ankles, and knees are hurting all the time. my shins throb for hours after a small run, and i can barely walk.

The : The best way to determine if these are shin splints or fractures is to be examined and have the area x-rayed.

This : This sounds like shin splints. Usually caused by over stress of the medial tibia (shin bone). Stretching the calves will help, having a someone from a running store watch you run may help, sometimes people who over pronate while they run can be at risk for shin splints. A good motion controlling show may help. If you recently increased your mileage it could also be a stress fracture. An x-ray may show this but an MRI may be better. If it is not getting better after some rest then i would go see a doctor.