Soccer, football, basketball, running down hills and wearing worn-out sneakers can place excessive stress on your legs and lead to shin splints. Known medically as medial tibial stress syndrome, shin splints cause pain to radiate down the front of the shin bones. To help treat this condition, you need to strengthen and stretch the lower parts of your legs. This would include the calf muscles, which are on the back of the lower leg, and the tibialis anterior, which runs down the front of your shin.
Toe and Heel Raises
Heel raises work your calves, and toe raises work your shins. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. In a steady motion, lift onto your tip toes as high as possible and hold for a full second. Slowly lower and immediately lift your toes in the air so you are on your heels. Hold this position for a second as well. Continue to alternate up and down in each position until you've done 10 to 12 reps on your toes and heels. If you want more resistance, hold dumbbells in your hands.
Step Stretch
The step stretch lengthens your calf muscles. Place the balls of your feet on a stair step or aerobic step and lower your heels toward the ground. Your toes should be pointing up at this point. When you feel a strong stretch in your calf muscles, hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat five to six times.
Toe and Heel Walks
Toe and heel walks strengthen the fronts and backs of your lower legs in similar fashion to raises. Stand on your tip toes, take 10 to 12 steps forward and return to your starting point. Now lift onto your heels and walk 10 to 12 steps out and back. When walking on your heels, resist the urge to place your feet down on the ground. To add resistance, carry a set of dumbbells.
Heel Step-ups
Heel step-ups require a stair step or aerobic steps. Stand on the step on your heels with your toes pointing up. Carefully step onto the ground with your right foot, then left foot, making sure that you are on your heels the whole time. After pausing briefly, step back up, leading with your right, then repeat leading with your left foot. Continue alternating for 10 to 12 repetitions.
Sit-back Stretch
The sit-back stretch targets your anterior tibialis muscles. Kneel on the floor with the tops of your feet flat. Gently sit back on your heels until your body weight is resting on your lower legs. Once into this position, feel the stretch on the fronts of your shins and hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat five to six times.
Shin Raises
Shin raises stretch your anterior tibialis muscles with the help of a wall. Stand with your back facing the wall and your heels approximately the length of your feet away. Slowly lean backward until your butt, back and shoulders make contact with the wall. Once into this position, lift your toes as high as possible and hold for a full second. Slowly lower until your feet are just above the ground and repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.
