Shin Splints is a catch-all term used to describe a number of injuries in the lower leg. There are actually medial and lateral shin splints and can involve a number of different muscles and their tendinous attachments to the bones in the lower leg. Each of these injuries is due to overuse of the tissue due to increased activity or intensity, poor biomechanics, improper footwear, etc.
Treatment is first aimed at providing relief for the injury, but must also consider the cause of the injury and address biomechanics, footwear, training techniques, etc to have long-term relief of the injury.