Shin splints is the common name for a medical condition known as medial tibial stress syndrome. The painful condition generally strikes runners who put an overload on the shinbone and tissues that connect the muscles to the bone. Victims feel pain along the inside edge of the tibia, which is the large bone in your lower leg. You can treat shin splints with rest, ice and pain relievers, but proper stretching and some weight training may help prevent the problem.
Exercise Bands
The U.S. Navy reports that shin splints are a common injury during basic training, so it recommends some exercises for incoming recruits to help avoid the problem. You need exercise tubing or bands for these. To do a plantar flexion, wrap the band around your forefoot, hold the other end with your hand, and stretch your leg by pointing your toe as far as possible. For a dorsiflexion, attach one side of the band to a stationary object, put the other around your foot and pull your foot toward you. For an inversion and eversion, you put the band around a stationary object and your foot, and then you pull your foot inwards and outwards.
Gastrocnemius Stretches
The Sports Injury Clinic recommends stretching the gastrocnemius muscle, the largest muscle in the calf, to help alleviate tightness in the leg. Two methods exist for this exercise. Stand with your hands against a wall and one foot farther back than the other. Keep the back leg straight and your heel down as you lean forward into the wall. You can also stand with your toes on a step and your heels over the edge and slowly lower your heel while keeping the knee straight.
Soleus Stretch
The Sports Injury Clinic also recommends stretching the soleus, which is another calf muscle that is under the larger gastrocnemius. You can only stretch it when the knee is bent and the bigger, overlying muscle is relaxed. Face a wall with the foot of the calf you want to stretch farther back than the other foot. Bend the back leg toward the wall and keep your heel on the floor as you feel the stretch in the lower back part of the calf.
Strength Training
In addition to stretches, MayoClinic.com recommends adding some strength training to your routine to help prevent shin splints. From a standing position, strengthen your shins with toe raises. Slowly rise up on your toes and then gradually lower your heels back to the floor. Repeat 10 times. Make it harder by holding weights as you lift your heels. MayoClinic.com suggests doing leg presses, too.
