The tibialis anterior muscle is along the front of your shin, or tibia bone. From the outside of your knee, it narrows as it descends to where it attaches at the top of your foot at the inside of your ankle joint. The posterior tibialis is on the back of your calf from the bottom of the back side of your knee to the middle of your calf. Consult your doctor before doing new exercises to strengthen these muscles.
Function
The tibialis anterior muscle is responsible for enabling you to lift your foot and rotate it toward the midline of your body. The tibialis posterior muscle enables you to turn your foot to the inside, or toward the midpoint of your body, and to point your toes and the ball of your foot toward the floor. Both of these muscles work together to make it possible for you to bend your ankle joint while stepping or walking.
Walking
Walking tones and strengthens your anterior and posterior tibialis muscles. Lifting and lowering your toes and rotating your ankle joint are all involved as you walk and make stepping motions. These muscles also allow a full range of motion for your joint, and they stretch and contract your tibialis muscles during each step.
Flexion and Extensions
Sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you. Place your feet close together. At the same time, pull your toes in toward your chest, keeping your calves and heels on the floor. Hold for several seconds, and then point your toes away from your body, feeling the muscle of your calf contract and tighten. Repeat this flexion and extension exercise between 10 to 20 times several times a day. This exercise will help strengthen your tibialis muscles and increase blood flow and circulation to your lower extremities as well.
Toe Walking
Strengthen your tibialis muscles and engage additional muscles and muscle groups in your lower legs by walking on your toes with your feet in several different positions. For example, walk on your toes with your toes pointing forward, then with your toes pointed inward at approximately a 45-degree angle. Follow this with your toes pointed outward, again at about a 45-degree angle. Walk on your toes in each of these positions for about one minute, repeating the sequence several times, suggests sports coach Brian Mac.
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