No More Shin Splints

If you've ever had shin splints, you know how debilitating they can be. Luckily, I have an exercise that will not only prevent you from getting shin splints, but will immediately help relieve any pain associated with shin splints (aka medial tibial stress syndrome).

Shin splints causes an achy pain that results when small tears occur in the muscles around your tibia (shin bone).When weak muscles (in particular the tibialis anterior) and ligaments surrounding our shins give way to our stronger calf muscles, the muscle pulls away from our shin bone. Ouch! In order to prevent this from happening, it's important to strengthen the tibialis anterior muscle as well as stretch out our calf muscles. You can do the above pictured calf stretch by dropping your heel off of a stair with a straight leg. To strengthen the muscles surrounding the shin and prevent shin splints from happening, do the following exercise. 

Start by laying on your back with your legs straight above you. Do the following motions consecutively without taking a break: 

Flex your feet 20 times bringing your toes toward you

Point your toes toward the sky 20 times

Circle your ankles around to the right 20 times

Circle your ankles around to the left 20 times

You should feel the burn in the tibialis anterior muscle by the time you start circling!

If you ever feel any aching in your shins, I want you to do this exercise immediately. If you're prone to shin splints, do this exercise daily, weekly, monthly or as often as you'd like. In conjunction with stretching your calves, this exercise should give almost immediate relief.

Note: If the pain does not go away after a few days of this exercise, make sure to see your doctor. The pain may be due to something more serious, like a hairline or stress fracture. Stay fit, babes xo