Exercises to avoid shin-splints
You exercise and then you get shin-splints. This is very frustrating to many people who are bothered with shin-splints. There are some exercises you can do to avoid shin-splints. These exercises can be done before, during, or after your regular exercise. If you don't have a regular exercise program and you still get shin-splints, these exercises can be done through out the day at any time.
First lets see how a person gets shin-splints. Shin-splints are a result of running, jumping or even swimming. The muscles are overused and result in pain in the shins. Shin-splints can happen even with minimal but vigorous running. Shin-splints are just that, shins that hurt like there were splints in them. Shin-splints have inflamed muscles that need to be restored to normal.
Here are some exercises you can do to avoid shin-splints. Start with stretching or warming up the shins or the front of the leg. One great exercise requires you to stand with your back against the wall with your feet about one foots length away from the wall. Flex your toes up towards your shins and then back down, but not all the way down. Do this about 15 times to begin with and as you progress do 15 flexes 3 times.
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When you are able to do this exercise, do it with one foot on the ground and the other lifted in a running position. Switch feet and do it again. This is done for 3 times 15 flexes. Alternating feet is the best way to get the exercise to help avoid shin-splints.
The next exercise is walking. But not just walking, you will need to walk on your toes for about 22 yards, or 20 meters. You will need to walk 20 meters on your toes three different ways for a total of 60 meters. The first way is to point your toes forward. Then walk again with your toes pointed outwards. This means your leg and not just the toes. You are looking for a whole leg rotation to maximize the exercise for the whole shin and leg. The third way is to point the toes inward. Once again rotating the whole leg. Repeating the three rotations is best for avoiding shin-splints.
After you have walked on your toes, walk on your heels in the same manner. Get high up on the heels and keep the leg straight. Take small steps and get used to the movement. Remember this is a preventative and strengthening exercise. As the two walking exercise become easier alternate the two and even start walking faster.
The next exercise is skipping. Begin with skipping and landing on the middle of your foot. Then as with the walking, rotate the toes outwards and then inwards. You should do this for about 22 yards or 20 meter to avoid shin-splints. Once you can do the skipping for 20 meters three different ways then skip on your heels. Gradually work up to skipping on you heels with the toes rotating the three different ways for 20 meters each.
There are a few simple and small exercises you can do to help avoid shin-splints. Start with sitting and writing with your toes in the air. Write something like the alphabet or your favorite song. Then flex and point your toes over and over. Bend at the ankle and do this anytime you are sitting. These along with walking on your heels for about 10 second are small ways to help you to avoid shin-splints.
When doing exercises to avoid shin-splint, make sure along with the exercises you have some good shoes. Good shoes help avoid shin-splint when you are doing any kind of running or exercises that require some running. Flex and rotate your feet and ankles to help avoid shin-splints. Walk on your heels and point your toes in different directions.
