Shin splints are super rough & they can keep you from the activity you LOVE! Maybe you have tried physical therapy before with no luck, rested only to return with pain, and now you are ready to just deal with the pain…you don’t have to. It’s time to learn a new way of recovery & get you back out there! One of the main reasons I see shin splints with my clients is TOO MUCH TOO QUICKLY whether it’s just starting a running program, new fitness routine, you walked crazy far, or you have a muscle imbalances with loading your legs. Good news is this can all be fixed with the biggest changes being listening to your body and making small adjustments!
Let’s get rid of those shin splints & back to your activity minus the pain!
4 Exercises To Get Rid of Shin Splints
Ankle Mobility
Find a block or a chair and place your foot on it. Keep your heel down as you drive your knee over your toes. You are working on the mobility in your ankle so you might feel tightness in the front of your ankle as well as down by your achilles. Move in and out 15-20x holding for 2-3 seconds
Calf Self Myofascial Release
Place tennis ball on a block or the ground. Roll your calf until you find a tender point. Slowly point your foot and then pull it back up towards you. 30-60 seconds each spot. You can over do this so stick with the 1 minute max. Enjoyed the rolling?! Check out 7 Moves for Mobility Gains and Painrelief!
Heel Raises with tennis Ball
After working on mobility it is super important to work on stability! Place a tennis/lacrosse ball between your heels, lift up onto your toes (makes sure you do not roll to the outside of your feet), and squeeze the ball. 15-30x. Great exercise works on strengthening your calf as well as a muscle called your posterior tibialis, which is really important for controlling your foot (pronation).
Balancing
So important for stability. Standing on 1 leg, make sure you don’t grip with your toes or hold your breath. Kick 1 leg back with small pluses up and down. Great for glute strengthening and firing up the muscles on the bottom of your foot. Try 30-40 pulses each side.
Remember consistency is key! The more you stick with working on the exercises and correcting your imbalances the quicker that pain goes away! Breathing & alignment are equally important to sneak in throughout your day. For more information on those click here. Breathing really does help your running game or whatever your activity choice is.
Need more help?! Let’s chat to learn how to move better!
Happy Shins!
