Shin Splint Exercises to Reduce Pain - BulletProofRunner Blog

By following a step-by-step approach, exercises for shin splints can assist in alleviating the pain that occurs along the front side of your tibia, which is the major and elongated bone extending down your lower leg.

Exercises that can prevent and alleviate shin splints, also referred to as medial tibial stress syndrome, consist of toe raises and walking on your heels. These activities aid in building the muscle groups that provide support to your shins, reducing their susceptibility to inflammation caused by physical activity.

The muscles, tendons, and tissues surrounding the shin bone become inflamed, typically caused by activities such as running, jumping, and other repetitive physical movements.

This article provides information on the most effective exercises for relieving shin bone pain and instructions on how to perform them. Additionally, it presents various stretches specifically targeting shin splints to minimize shin bone inflammation and prevent recurrence of this condition.

Toe Walk

Starting with toe rises can be helpful if you find toe walking to be challenging due to weaker lower leg muscles. This is because walking on your toes can effectively strengthen the muscles in your lower legs, specifically your calves.

To perform a toe rise:

Stand in place and rise up onto your toes with your heels off of the floor.
Try to hold the position for 10 seconds.
Slowly lower your heels back to the floor.

Once you have become proficient at standing in one place, proceed to walk on your toes.

Start with your toes pointed straight ahead. Walk about 25 steps.
Next, point your toes inward and walk 25 steps.
Finish by pointing your toes outward. Walk another 25 steps.
Keep your heels off the floor.

You can perform this shin splint exercise once a day or more. If you experience any pain, discontinue the exercise.

Single Leg Bridge

The single leg bridge is considered one of the top exercises for shin splints as it focuses on three key muscle groups used in running: the hamstrings, hip flexors, and glutes.

If you often experience shin splints while running, it is essential to perform this exercise, as it helps decrease shin stress by strengthening these specific muscle groups.

To perform a single leg bridge, follow these steps:

Lie flat on your back with your arms straight by your side.
Bend your knees, planting the bottoms of your feet on the ground.
Press your heels and the back of your shoulders into the ground and raise your hips to the ceiling, bringing your knees to a 90-degree angle with the ground.
Raise one leg straight in the air, keeping your hips high.
Hold for 10 seconds, then switch legs and hold for another 10.

For each leg, try to hold the pose for ten seconds, aiming for a total of three sets. Keep in mind that individuals with lower back or knee pain may find this exercise uncomfortable, so proceed cautiously and pay attention to your body’s signals.

Toe Curl

For individuals with flat feet, toe curls are a crucial exercise to prevent shin splints. These curls work to enhance and provide support to the arches, flexor muscles, and toes, effectively enabling the foot’s arch to evenly distribute stress and reduce pressure exerted on the shins.

You can perform this easy, low-impact shin splint exercise either by standing in one spot or by sitting in a chair. The only items you need are a chair (if you prefer to sit), a hand towel, and a smooth-surfaced floor.

To perform a toe curl:

Place the towel on the ground in front of you.
Step one foot onto the towel, lining your heel up with the end of the towel closest to you.
Scrunch your toes, clenching the towel towards you.
Aim for 10 repetitions per foot.

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Elevated Calf Raises

Calf raises enhance ankle stability, mobility, and balance by strengthening your calf muscles. Additionally, strong calf muscles aid in shifting a portion of the impact caused by running, walking, and jumping away from your tibia and onto the calf muscles.

To perform this exercise for shin splints, find a curb or step that you can stand on securely. If you have trouble maintaining your balance, you can stand near a wall, rail, or chair that provides support.

To perform calf raises:

Stand up straight on a step with your hands on your hips or resting against another surface to balance you.
Scoot your feet back so that only your toes and the balls of your feet are on the step.
Keeping your toes straight ahead, brace your core, then push through the balls of your feet, lifting both of your heels into the air.
Squeeze your calves at the top of each lift and count to two.
Take a full three-count to slowly lower your heels back down so that they are parallel with the step or slightly lower to feel more stretch.

Begin by doing 10 calf raises, and as the exercise becomes less challenging, consider either increasing the number of raises or attempting the exercise while holding dumbbells.

Gastrocnemius stretch

This exercise is considered to be one of the most crucial for treating shin splints. To stretch the larger calf muscle, position yourself against a wall and keep the back leg straight while ensuring the heel remains pressed into the floor.

If you are unable to feel a stretch at the back of your lower leg, simply move your heel further back. Maintain this position for 20 seconds, then release and repeat the process three times.

If you have highly flexible calf muscles, you may find it necessary to stretch using a step.

Soleus stretch

In order to stretch this muscle, it is necessary to bend the knee to allow the overlying Gastrocnemius to relax. To perform this stretch, the patient should position themselves facing a wall, with the foot of the calf to be stretched positioned at the back.

The knee of the back leg should be bent towards the wall, keeping the heel on the floor.
A stretch should be felt in the lower part of the back of the calf. hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
A more advanced version of this stretching exercise is to place the forefoot or the front leg on the wall keeping the heel on the floor and gently push the front knee towards the wall.

Shin stretch

When the athlete kneels down, they sit on their heels, which stretches the muscles on the front of the lower leg.

Gently push down on the heels to stretch the front of the leg. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
To increase the stretch do one leg at a time and lift up the knee of the stretching leg.

Calf raise exercise

To strengthen all the muscles in the lower leg, start with performing calf raises using both legs together. Then, gradually transition to doing them on a single leg. Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your feet and keep your knees straight. If necessary, hold on to a wall or something similar for balance.

Step 1: Lift your heels off the floor as much as you can, and then slowly bring them back down to the floor. Step 2: Advance by placing your heel on a step with the rest of your foot suspended. Step 3: Gradually lower your heel below the level of the step.

Resisted dorsiflexion

In order to perform the exercise for shin splints called dorsiflexion, you should pull your foot in an upward direction while a resistance band is being utilized. You can either fasten it to an immovable object or request assistance from a partner to hold it for you.

Heel and toe walking

The patient is walking with exaggerated ankle movements, with the heel lifting up high on the toes.

One way to vary this exercise is to walk either on your toes or on your heels across the length of a room, which will specifically target and strengthen the calf and shin muscles.

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Returning to full fitness

The purpose of doing exercises for shin splints is not only to become free of pain, but also to regain full fitness without experiencing symptoms again. If you have been able to walk without pain for 2 weeks, you can begin gradually running again. Use shin splints taping to provide support during the initial runs and make sure you have appropriate shoes for your running style or sport. After each training session, apply ice to the shin for approximately ten minutes.

To properly prepare for and recover from training sessions, it is important to engage in adequate stretching. Remember to stretch before and after each session. Hold each stretch for approximately 30 seconds, and repeat it five times. Additionally, incorporate regular massages into your routine to prevent the muscles from becoming tight, hardened, and straining the lower leg muscles again.

The text describes a gradual return to running program. Each training session should start with a 5-minute walk, followed by a stretch.