Posterior Tibialis Tendonitis results when the posterior tibialis muscle, which runs from the inside of your shin bone to a point just behind the inside of the arch of your foot, is over-stressed. Keeping the arch of your foot strong, as well as strengthening your lower legs to keep your ankles and knees in proper alignment can significantly reduce the amount of pain you may experience as a result of this painful affliction.
Walk on Your Heels
Posterior tibialis tendonitis results from an exaggerated inward rotation and flexion of your ankle with each impact while you run, according to the founder of Educated Runner, Dr. Owen Anderson, PhD. To combat this injury, and the pain that comes with it, Anderson recommends that you strengthen your ankle in the opposite direction. He suggests that you walk with your heels on the floor and your ankles flexed so that your toes are off the floor and rotated outward. Try to keep this position for up to two minutes at a time. Over time, this exercise will strengthen your ankle in a way that pulls it back into proper alignment, eliminating the positioning which causes posterior tibialis pain.
Side Lying Leg Lift
Another cause of tibialis posterior tendonitis is misalignment of your legs stemming from weak hip muscles, says Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. To strengthen your lateral, or outer, hip muscles, Summit Medical Group recommends that you include a side lying leg lift exercise in your exercise regimen. To perform this exercise, begin by lying on one side and tightening the muscles in the front of your top leg, your quadriceps. From here, keep your leg straight and raise it 8 to 10 inches above your bottom leg and slowly lower it back down. Three sets of 10 repetitions on each leg each time you perform this exercise are recommended.
Balance and Reach
Because a flat-footed posture is a contributing factor to your tibialis posterior pain, you must strengthen the arch of your foot to find relief and prevent future injury. Single leg balance exercises are an excellent way to accomplish this. Anderson suggests a balance and reach exercise in which you stand facing a wall, about an arms length in front of it, on your right leg. Bend your left leg so that your shin is parallel to the floor and slowly drive your left knee towards the wall, keeping your weight centered over your right foot. Return your left leg to its starting position and drive it forward and across your body, then forward and away from your body. Repeat this five more times before switching to your other foot. Your ankle will be forced to combat a twisting motion as you move your other leg back, forth and side to side. This will help strengthen your posterior tibialis muscle and reduce your pain level.
Wobble Board Exercises
Another way to strengthen your ankles and the arches of your feet is to incorporate a wobble board -- a round board with a knob on the bottom of it -- into your exercise regimen. Start with both feet on the wobble board, rocking back and forth, holding on to a chair or wall to avoid falling and causing further injury. Once you have mastered this first step, you can try tilting the wobble board until the edge is in contact with the ground and rotating it 360 degrees without allowing the edge to leave the floor. Finally, try balancing on the wobble board without allowing the edge to contact the ground for as long as you can. Once you have mastered all of these exercises with two feet, you can progress to attempting them on one foot to further strengthen your feet and ankles.
