1. Rest Relieves Stress
The most common cause of shin splints is overuse of the leg muscles during high-impact exercise. Once the pain begins, it will only get worse unless you give the tissues a break, allowing them to heal. You don't have to stop exercising completely; however, switch to low-impact exercises until the pain passes. Stationary bicycles, swimming or running on an elliptical machine are all great examples of low-impact exercises.
2. Cool Down Burning Pain
Ice should be your first step in treating shin splints, as ice will help to reduce inflammation, soothe pain and flush toxins that the body releases in reaction to injury from the area. Never place ice directly on the skin; rather, wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables in a towel and place over the painful area. Leave ice for 10 or 15 minutes, reapplying every 2 hours or as needed to control painful symptoms of shin splints.
3. Stretch Your Calves
If you are currently experiencing pain due to shin splints, you should wait for pain to subside before stretching, as you can further damage and tear muscles. Once the pain is manageable or to prevent shin splints, calve stretches should be used regularly both before and after workout or whenever calves feel tight. Hold onto a firm object if necessary and step one leg forward, bending the knee into a half lunge with your toes forward. Your back leg should be straight and supported on the toes. To stretch the calf of the back leg, press your heal gently towards the ground. Repeat on the opposite side.
4. Supporting Muscles Need Stretching Too
Tight hamstring muscles can pull on the muscles of the calf, adding to strain which can cause shin splints; therefore, it is important to stretch them as well. To stretch your hamstrings, begin standing straight with your feet about hip width apart. Place one foot forward, pointing your toes up and resting your heel on the floor. Place your hands on your upper thighs and bend forward with abs tight and back straight. The further you bend forward, the deeper you should feel the stretch. Repeat on the opposite side.
5. Return to Your Workout the Right Way
If you suffer from shin splints, it's time to reevaluate your workout. Don't return to the same routine that caused your shin splints in the first place. Cross-training, or mixing up your workout routine so that you are working different muscle groups in different ways each day, minimizes strain and stress on your leg muscles. Build up the duration and strength of your workout slowly. Increasing the duration or strength of your workout more than 10 percent per week is too much.
