Aching calves aren’t uncommon after a week in ski boots, but if you’re feeling a sharp, localised pain just below the knee when you stretch, it might be something more.

“Around this time of year, I see a lot of calf tears in skiiers,” says Dr Kipps, “and they’re unusual in that they’re so high on the leg – usually they’re lower down, but because of the ski boots they tend to be higher up in skiiers.”

Less serious muscle tears will be fine after a week’s rest, but if you experience a sudden, sharp pain and can’t contract the muscle, you need to go to A&E – it’s likely to need surgery.

“Pain at the front of the shin is harder to diagnose,” Dr Kipps says, “Stress fractures aren’t common in skiing or skateboarding, but if you run regularly or play any other sports that involve consistent impact, this could be the cause.”

If it’s a stress fracture, exercising will make it worse. You’ll have to stop for six weeks and wear a brace…

Stress fractures are caused when bones break down during exercise, like muscles do, but aren’t given time to build back up again. It feels like a deep, gnawing pain on impact and it will get progressively worse – always in a specific spot along the bone.

More often than not, shin pain is caused by medial tibial stress syndrome – inflammation and pain along the inside of the tibia caused by weakness in the ankle stabilising muscles. Balancing on one leg on something unstable, like a pillow, will help.

If you feel an ache at the start of exercise which goes away, then comes back, it could be this – but Dr Kipps says with shin pain, it’s better to be safe.

“You need an MRI to diagnose,” he says, “If it’s a stress fracture, exercising will make it worse. You’ll have to stop for six weeks and wear a pneumatic air brace – a grey medical boot – to hold your leg in position while it heals. After that, you can gradually reintroduce yourself to exercise.”

Dr Courtney Kipps is a consultant sports physician at The Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health