Pain from shin splints can range from a dull ache to throbbing or sharp. These shin splint exercises can relieve pain and strengthen the muscles that support your shin bones.
Tight calf muscles can increase the stress placed on your shin bones. A calf stretch can reduce muscle tightness and improve ankle mobility (movement), which can decrease pain.
A straight-knee stretch targets the gastrocnemius muscle, one of the main muscles at the back of the lower leg.
How to do it:
- Stand facing a wall with your hands on it for balance.
- Step one foot back, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
- Keep your back knee straight and bend your front knee.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat two to three times per leg.
You can perform this exercise two to three times per day.
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This exercise is done similarly to the previous one, except you bend your knees during the stretch. This stretches the soleus muscle, the other main muscle in the calf, next to the gastrocnemius.
The soleus runs from right below the knee down to the heel. Doing this exercise will also help relieve shin discomfort and increase ankle stability.
How to do it:
- Stand facing a wall with your hands on it for balance.
- Step one foot back, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
- Bend both your front and back knees.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat two to three times per leg.
Like straight calf stretches, you can perform this exercise two to three times per day.
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Having weak hip muscles can place excessive stress on your shin bones. A hip hike trains your hip abductor muscles, mainly the gluteus medius muscle, to improve pelvic stability and support better stress distribution to the lower legs, reducing compensatory stress placed on your shin bones caused by weak muscles.
How to do it:
- Stand on a small step with one leg hanging off. Hold onto a wall or nearby stable surface if balance is a concern.
- Slowly and with control, lower the hip of your leg that is hanging off slowly towards the ground, then slowly lift it back up.
- Perform two to three sets of 10-15 repetitions (reps) per leg.
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A kneeling shin stretch lengthens your shin muscles, including your tibialis anterior muscle, which is often tight if you have shin splints. Performing this stretch can relieve tension and reduce strain on your shin bones when the muscles supporting them are inflamed.
How to do it:
- Sit back on your heels with the tops of your feet flat on the floor and your toes pointing backward.
- While keeping your shins on the ground, slowly and slightly lean backwards until you feel a comfortable stretch, and no pain, along your shin.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Repeat two to three times.
Calf raises target the three main muscles on the back of your lower leg, the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris. By improving your calf muscle strength and endurance, you’ll reduce the stress placed on your shin bones and improve the shock absorption of your lower leg.
How to do it:
- Stand tall, holding onto a wall or nearby stable surface if needed.
- Slowly rise up onto the balls of your feet, and with control, lower back down.
- Perform two to three sets of 10-15 reps per leg.
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A toe raise targets your anterior tibialis muscle. Improving your dorsiflexion strength will help balance your overall lower leg muscle function. This can alleviate excessive stress placed on your shin bones and improve the distribution of stress and other forces to the area that causes pain associated with your shin splints.
How to do it:
- Stand tall, holding onto a wall or nearby stable surface if needed.
- While keeping your heels on the ground, slowly lift your toes towards your shins. With control, lower back down.
- Perform two to three sets of 10-15 reps per leg.
Step-ups target your gluteus maximus and medius muscles, which are key muscles for hip and pelvic stability. Improving the strength and stability of your hip and pelvis muscles can improve the way your entire lower body aligns and how it absorbs impacts.
Step-ups target your entire leg and can help to reduce stress on your shin bones by improving your lower body’s overall movement patterns.
How to do it:
- Step up onto a stable step or platform, one foot at a time
- Slowly step down, holding onto a wall or stable surface nearby if needed.
- Perform two to three sets of 10-15 reps per leg.
Doctors recommend resting for about two to four weeks when experiencing shin splint-related pain. During this time, you can:
- Ice your shins: Use a cold pack for up to 20 minutes at a time for the first few days. Don’t apply the ice directly to the skin, as it can cause damage. Instead, wrap the ice in a cheesecloth or dish towel before applying it.
- Consider low-impact activities: Your activity during this time period can include light walking and lower-impact activities, including swimming or using a stationary bike. If you experience any pain while doing these activities, discontinue them.
- Stretch the muscles of your lower leg: Stretching is both therapeutic and preventative. Focus on stretching your shin and calf muscles to relieve pain.
- Look into footwear and orthotics: Wearing supportive footwear can help reduce the stress placed on your shins. Some people may also benefit from orthotics, or shoe inserts, to help improve foot alignment and stability.
- Work with a physical therapist: A physical therapist is a medical professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions or injuries that limit movement. Physical therapy can help you manage pain through a variety of treatment methods and a customized exercise program to strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight ones.
- Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS): Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) can help reduce the pain and any swelling from shin splints.
After 2-4 weeks off, or when your pain has gone away, you can gradually return to your exercise routine. Increase your activity level slowly to allow your shin muscles to adapt without being overloaded, and remember to stop if the pain comes back.
Rushing back into exercise soon after shin splints can lead to re-injury and a recurrence of pain.
It’s important to speak to a doctor if:
- The pain doesn’t improve even with targeted exercises
- The pain worsens or doesn’t go away
- You have pain while resting
- You have swelling or tenderness in one small area of your shin
- You have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your foot or ankle
Delaying medical care may increase your risk of stress fractures, chronic (long-term) shin pain, or compartment syndrome, a condition that can lead to muscle and nerve damage.
Speaking with a doctor early on can help rule out these conditions and further complications, as well as ensure a safe return to activity.
