Impact Exercise & Shin Splints
- cararacicot
- Jan 31, 2021
- 5 min read
We all know the feeling. Push your limits on a run, do a few extra jump squats in that HIIT workout, or maybe even just go on an extra long walk with those old flip flops you got for $5 at Walmart. Next day, you roll out of bed, take your first step of the day and are reminded that you are NOT invincible when you feel the burning sensation on the inner or outer portion of your shin. Hello tibial stress syndrome (ie. shin splints).
WHAT EVEN ARE SHIN SPLINTS?!
Let's start with a little entry level anatomy lesson (sorry, not sorry. You need to actually understand your body in order to fix it):
The tibialis posterior is a small muscle located deep in the back portion of the lower leg. It starts at the back outer portion of the tibia (main shin bone), and ends by passing behind the medial malleolous (inner ankle bone) and attaching to a bone on the inner portion of the foot called the navicular. Its job is to plantarflex (point foot DOWN), and invert the foot (turn foot IN). It also plays a key role in supporting the arch of the foot. This muscle is affected when you feel pain/discomfort on the inside of your shin.
The tibialis anterior is a thicker muscle located on the front and outer side of the tibia. It starts at the upper & outer edge of the tibia and runs all the way down the leg to connect to the base of the first toe. Its job is to dorsiflex (point foot UP), and invert the foot (turn foot IN). Much like the tibialis posterior, it also plays a role in supporting the arch of the foot. This muscle is affected when you feel pain/discomfort on the outside/front of the shin.
The soleus is a muscle located in the back of the leg, underneath the calf muscle. It runs from the back of the knee all the way to the calcaneus (heel) via the achilles tendon. This muscle is responsible for plantarflexion (point ankle DOWN) with a bent knee, and plays a very big role in shock absorption/load transfer during weighted activities, making its dysfunction a common perpetuator of shin splints.
WHY ME?
Shin splints are a common overuse injury when too much stress is placed on the shin and the surrounding musculature (main ones listed above) that can be caused from a number of different factors. Some common things I see are:
Poor joint mobility in the ankle (lacking dorsiflexion)
Arch collapse/increased pronation (foot rolls in) & control of the foot
Improper loading (too much, too fast!)
Muscle imbalances higher up in the body (hip stability is huge)
Change in training routine/footwear
As you can see, there are A LOT of factors that could be playing into the root cause of your shin splints. With that being said, if you have persistent shin pain I highly recommend you go see a physiotherapist (hey, hi, hello there) to properly diagnose your pain and give you an individualized plan. It's also important to note that shin splints can be a disguise for a more serious injury (hey stress fracture!), so while taking general advice is good if you aren't in serious pain or if you are trying to prevent injury, if you have persistent pain, again, you need to get some further investigations done.
Phew, the intense sh** is over. If you skipped down to this part for the juice... please go back up and take 3mins to learn about your anatomy to make me happy ;).
Now that you know what the heck is going on in your body (kinda, sorta, hopefully), here are some of my favourite exercises for helping prevent and manage shin splints caused by impact activities:
1. Yoga Ball Plantar Fascia Release (#everythingisconnected)
Grab a yoga ball and place underneath your foot. Gently roll up and down the entire length of the foot as you flex and extend your toes. If you hit a tender spot, stop and wait it out 20-30 seconds keeping consistent pressure on the one spot. Everything is connected :)
2. Knee to wall (#anklemobility)
Maintaining full contact with the front foot on the floor, bring the knee towards the wall, keeping the knee in line with the toes. Hold for 2-3 seconds and return to the resting position. The goal here is to be able to complete this movement with the foot as far away from the wall as possible to challenge the ankle's range of motion.
3. Soleus heel raises (#bulletproof)
Standing on 1 (or 2 if 1 is too difficult!) leg, keep your knee bent as you lift your heel off the floor. Stand close to something to hold on to for support, and challenge your balance by trying to complete this exercise hands free!
4. Banded lateral walks (#hipstability)
If your hips are not strong & stable, your body will compensate elsewhere! Try this exercise to get the glutes firing before you workout. Sit back as if you were going to sit in a chair, keep your toes facing forward & in contact with the floor, and don't let your knees collapse inward. Your outer hip should be saying hellooo in no time ;)
5. Tibialis posterior heel raises (#strengthenwhereitsweak)
This is a simple exercise you can do to strengthen your tibialis posterior to help strengthen your arch as well as improve your walking/running mechanics. Stick a yoga ball between your legs just under your ankle bone, and don't let it fall as you do slow and controlled heel raises (peep Reggie's star appearance).
Some general TIPS for impact exercise & shin splints:
Pace. Your. Freaking. Self. I can't emphasize this enough. The amount of times I see people in the clinic super discouraged because they were trying to do something good for their bodies by starting an exercise program but did it the wrong way and injured themselves is much too often. Making a healthy choice to be more active is AMAZING and seriously makes me so happy. But you cannot go from doing nothing to doing everything in one week. Your body needs time to adapt, or else your tissues WILL get stressed and you WILL get injured. Start slow and progressively load & build up your tolerance.
Warm up! I know. We all hate warming up and cooling down. But it's so important, and it takes 5 minutes of your time. Think of all the things you do for 5 minutes a day. You can fit in that warm up, you just need to make it a priority. And hey - you now have a few exercises already laid out for you to do ;)
Listen to your body. Your body is a powerful communicator, and it will tell you when you can push harder and when you may need to take a step back. Practice the mental game of working out, understanding your body's signals, and responding to what it's telling you. It will both help you prevent injury as well as reach new heights in your training.
Well, that's it for today! Thanks for stopping by - hope that you learnt a little more about your body & that you try out some of these exercises and tips to help build a more resilient and healthier you. Happy moving fam!
Until next time,
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