Feel around the mid-section of the muscle next to your shinbone for pain or tenderness. A shin splint is usually most tender roughly half-way between your knee and ankle joints. Be aware that you may come into contact with a trigger point, or more commonly known as a muscle knot. Pressing on a trigger point can lead to local tenderness, referred pain and a “twitch” response. Referred pain can sometimes be felt into the big toe when pressing into this area. [3] X Research source Typically there’s only one tender and inflamed area, but you may find a couple different ones. Once you’ve identified the area, you’ll know where to focus on with the myofascial release technique.
Select a firm piece of foam roll, between 2–4 inches in diameter. It doesn’t need to be any longer than 6 inches. The long ones are commonly used for yoga and are widely available in sporting good stores. Select the firmest type of tennis ball you can. Some hard rubber balls might be effective also, but make sure they’re not much bigger than a tennis ball. Try a lacrosse ball. Professional massage therapists, chiropractors and physical therapists often use their thumbs or elbows to do myofascial release, but for self-treatment, foam rollers and tennis balls are more convenient and prevent a potential thumb sprain.
A hard tiled or wood floor is fine to use, but if may cause some discomfort in your knees as you kneel on it. Any padding you use is for the comfort of your knees, not effectiveness of the treatment. Before you kneel down, change into something that exposes your lower leg below your knee, such as a pair of shorts or Capri pants.
In this position, you’re initially supporting your body weight with your arms, but then once balanced, let your entire body weight push against the roller or ball. Once your entire body weight is balanced over the roller/ball, only your fingertips and toes of your other leg should be touching the floor. Wear some flexible rubber-soled shoes for best support and traction on the floor.
Use your finger tips and toes to rock your body back and forth over the foam roller or tennis ball — maybe a little side-to-side motion will help too. If you find that the motion is too painful, move away to an area that is less tender and hold that position for 30 to 60 seconds. Then slowly edge your way to the area of pain. Keep the pressure over the roller or ball for about three minutes at a time, then take a five minute break and continue a few more times. Follow this routine on a daily basis. Deep tissue massage can release inflammatory by-products and lactic acid into your bloodstream, so always drink plenty of water immediately following any self-treatment to flush them out of your body.
To protect your skin from frostbite or irritation, always wrap ice in a thin towel or cloth before applying it. Wrap the ice therapy tightly against your shin with a tensor bandage for best results. Without combating the inflammation and tenderness with ice therapy each time, you may find the following day’s myofascial session too difficult to do because of pain.
If you run on a track, don’t always run in the same direction. This can put an imbalance of forces on your lower legs. Make sure you change the direction in which you run on a regular basis. Alternatively, you might also need to reduce your mileage and the number of times you workout per week. Consider cross training. Mix in entirely different exercises in order to stay fit, but reduce the strain on your shin muscles. Swimming, cycling and rowing are good alternatives and also great at burning calories and maintaining a healthy weight.
Focus on better nutrition. Switch to lean meats and fish, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fresh fruits and veggies and lots of water for the results. Avoid processed foods and sugary drinks, particularly soda pop. Many overweight and obese people get flat feet and tend to over-pronate their ankles (they collapse and roll in), which are significant risk factors for developing shinsplints.
Get fitted by a shoe salesman later in the day because that’s when your feet are at their largest, usually due to swelling and slight compression of your arches. [9] X Research source Get an evaluation done at a reputable running store if you’re a serious jogger. You may be asked to run over a force plate that’s hooked up to a computer, or get video taped while you’re running as part of the assessment. Remember to tie your footwear tightly, because loose shoes or flip-flops put more strain / stress on your foot and lower leg muscles. If you are an over-pronator, look into getting supports (orthotics) for the soles of your shoes.
Hold each type of stretch for 20–30 seconds at a time, then relax and repeat three to five times per day or as needed. [10] X Research source Alternatively, while in a sitting position with your sore leg in the air, try tracing the letters of the alphabet with your toes. This is a good exercise that stretches and loosens up all the muscles of your lower leg. Focus on these stretches before running, jogging or going for long walks. It will help warm up the muscles and prevent shinsplints from flaring up.
