shin splints

[SparkyGirl]

I get shin splints about every other day on the treadmill. The trainers at the gym can't figure out why, my stride is the same, my stretching is the same.. just some days I get them and some days I don't...

Any ideas?

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Shin SPlints are often caused by a muscle imbalance between your calf (gastrocnemius, or however you spell it) and you anterior tibialis ("shin muscle"). Your calf is stronger than the ant tib. Strengthen your ant tib and the problem could go away.

You can do toe raises - pull your toe up towards your knee - thereby contracting the ant tib. You can do multiple reps throughout the day. You can also attach a band to your foot (tie it around the ball of your foot) and tie the other end to a stationary object (table leg, or have a partner hold it). The band offers resistance.

 

[SparkyGirl]

ty Daisy for the information

 

[jenscats5]

I've also read how strengthening the shin can help prevent splints.

The move for this is toe tapping. Put your foot flat on the floor & tap....just tell everyone you're not impatient but exercising!!

 

[SparkyGirl]

lol jens

 

[suk1978]

you may have collapsed arches in your foot. i'd visit the doctor.
i used to get really bad shin splint just from walking fast, went to the doctor and he said the bones in my feet had collapsed, but it's quite common. i got osme insoles made to put in my shoes and problem sorted.
a year later i was running 4miles twice a week, no problems. only prb now is that gym shut down, so now i dont do running at all....

 

[Kroliczek]

Another helpful exercise:

Do reverse standing calf raises. Stand on the edge of a little ledge and lower your toes down over the ledge (just make sure that you have something to hold onto- perhaps a railing or a body bar) Very effective to strengthen the front of your calves.

Good luck.

 

[2BIG4URMOM]

Shin SPlints are often caused by a muscle imbalance between your calf (gastrocnemius, or however you spell it) and you anterior tibialis ("shin muscle"). Your calf is stronger than the ant tib. Strengthen your ant tib and the problem could go away.

You can do toe raises - pull your toe up towards your knee - thereby contracting the ant tib. You can do multiple reps throughout the day. You can also attach a band to your foot (tie it around the ball of your foot) and tie the other end to a stationary object (table leg, or have a partner hold it). The band offers resistance.

I wanted to add, if you don't have band to work with, you can use a plastic bag(my cheap home remedy version,lol) and put enough weight in it, and then tie it around the top part of your foot.

I used to have shin splints really bad from running in the Army and doing this with a lot of stretching seemed to help.