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Not everyone suffers from tight shins, but they're an under-appreciated problem that can become a real hindrance.
Shin splints are common among athletes and runners who are very active. Spend some time stretching your anterior tibialis muscle if you have tight shin muscles or soreness in your shins.
The anterior tibialis is a muscle that crosses both the knee and ankle joints. Stretching this muscle can help with both of those joints and the shin. If you are an athlete, this stretch is especially useful before playing any sport that requires quick starts and stops, such as tennis. There are many ways to stretch your anterior tibialis muscle.
6 Best Anterior Tibialis Stretches for the Shin
1) Kneeling Anterior Tibialis Stretch
- To stretch your anterior tibialis, sit with your feet dangling in front of you and pointing slightly inward.
- Rest your hands on the ground in front of you for support, then lean forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your lower leg. For 15 to 30 seconds, hold that stretch.
2) Achilles Tendon Seated Stretch
This stretch can also be done by sitting in a chair with one leg outstretched and your heel on the ground. Pull your toe towards you by looping the band or towel around your heel.
- Bend one knee and extend the other leg out in front of you, with your heel on the floor, while sitting on the floor.
- Around the ball of your foot, loop an exercise band, a cloth, or a belt.
- Pull your toe in slowly and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Rep 2–4 times more.
3) Achilles Tendon Standing Stretch
This exercise can be performed while standing on a stair step, a curb, a step stool, or a thick phone book. To keep your balance, grab a railing or something hefty with at least one hand.
- Stand on the edge of the stair step (or whatever you've picked for this exercise) with the balls of your feet on the edge.
- Allow one heel to dangle from the step until you feel a stretch at the back of your leg and around your Achilles tendon.
- For 30 seconds, stay in this position. Rep 2–3 times more, up to 5 times each day.
4) Soleus Calf Stretch
- For added support, lean against a wall or the back of a chair.
- Put one foot in front of the other. Maintain a flat foot with your toes pointed straight ahead.
- Slightly bend your front knee. Bend your back knee while keeping your back heel down. Shorten your stride if keeping your heel down is too difficult.
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or longer, whichever feels comfortable.
- Stretch 2 or 3 times more, with a goal of stretching 3 times per day.
5) Gastrocnemium Calf Stretch
- For support, lean against a wall or lean against the back of a chair.
- Put one foot in front of the other. Maintain a flat foot with your toes pointed straight ahead.
- Bend the front knee until you feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg, with your back heel down and back leg straight.
- Throughout the stretch, keep your back straight.
- For at least 30 seconds, hold the stretch. Stretch 2 or 3 times more, with a goal of stretching 3 times per day.
6) Lying Tibialis Anterior Stretch
- Lie down on your side and bend your lower leg's knee back behind you as if performing a quad stretch.
- Reach behind you and gently bring your foot towards your back. Hold for 10-20 seconds.
- Rep with the opposite leg.
How to Heal Anterior Tibialis Muscle Pain?
If you want to treat tibialis anterior pain correctly, you need to figure out what caused it in the first place. Consult a doctor who can diagnose and treat your discomfort medically. The RICE method is a common protocol to follow until you see a medical expert.
The following are some common treatments for tibialis anterior pain:
- Stretching
- Exercises to build muscle
- Thermotherapy (hot and cold)
- Mobilization in concert
- Changes to the exercise routine
Takeaway
Like most muscles in the human body, shin muscle pain can be avoided with a proper stretching regimen and training schedule. In addition to running, many of us enjoy other forms of exercise, whether it be yoga, cycling, or performing a physical job.
If you do any of these exercises, then it's likely that your anterior tibialis will inevitably become tight and requires just a little bit of maintenance to avoid a painful injury.
Once you include a few simple anterior shin and ankle exercises into your daily program, you will see an improvement in your ability to flex your toes down towards the ground. With this simple exercise comes an increase in your blood flow, less congestion in active muscles, and less time off of the basketball court.
