What would happen if I continued to run while I had shin splints?

If you continue to run without letting your legs heal then shin splints make the progression into a stress fracture. It occurs when minor cracks form in the bone. The treatment for a stress fracture, doctors usually mention wearing walking boots until the bone heal or using crutches.

The term "shin splints" is a rather junk term. It is usually applied to any pain of the front part of the lower leg. The cause of this pain can be from several sources. It's possible that there is enough stress on the tibia (the large bone of the lower leg that runs from the knee to the ankle) to cause small cracks that may enlarge if not treated early. Another cause might be inflammation and swelling of the anterior tibial muscle (the long muscle that is just to the outside edge of the tibia). This muscle sits is enclosed in a thin sack and if the swelling becomes too much it can cause a decrease in blood flow to the muscle and may cause severe damage to the muscle. The anterior tibial muscle is important in causing the front part of the foot to lower to the ground slowly so that it doesn't "slap" down. It can become overworked if the foot flattens too much. This condition, overpronation, can be greatly improved with the use of a good orthotic, which will control the amount of pronation...just sayin'