Best Stretches for Shin Splints to Keep You Running Strong

Stretches for shin splints are rather important, especially if you’re a runner. Shin splints are a common injury that affects the lower leg.

The pain forms along the front or inner part of the shin. It’s frequent for athletes who take part in high-impact sports such as running and jumping. In fact, athletes who change their routine to make it more intense can develop shin splints due to the overworking of the muscles and ligaments.

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Best stretches for shin splints

Calf muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Darpan)

If you're experiencing shin splints, it’s advisable to know the stretches for shin splints. Additionally, if you’re into sprinting or rope jumping as a part of your cardio routine, you should be aware of the stretches for shin splints.

Here're some of the common stretches for shin splints that can help with relieving muscle pain:

Calf stretch

It's done as follows:

• Stand by facing the wall.
• Keep your hands on the wall.
• Place one foot behind the other.
• The heel of the back foot should touch the ground.
• Slightly bend your front leg, and keep the back leg straight.
• Lean into the wall till you feel a stretch on the back leg’s calf muscles.
• Hold for 15 seconds before repeating on the other leg.

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Toe raise

It's done as follows:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Go on your toes.
• Hold the position for ten seconds before relaxing.
• Repeat at least 10-12 times.
• Do a low lunge ankle stretch.
• Go into a lunge position with your left knee on the floor.
• Keep your right foot planted on the floor.
• Drive your right knee forward till you feel a stretch on your lower right calves
• Hold the position for a minute or so before repeating on the other side

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Hip raise with heel pull

It's done as follows:

• Lie on your back with your legs bent from the knees.
• You should be able to touch the heels with your fingertips when extending your arms.
• Keep the pressure on your elbows as you raise your hips upwards.
• Start bringing the heels closer to the hips.
• Relax your hips once you can’t bring the heels any closer.

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Single leg balance

It's done as follows:

• Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart
• Keeping your left foot on the ground, bring your right knee towards your chest
• Your right thigh should make a right-angle with the body
• Find your balance in this position
• Hold the position till your left foot begins to fatigue.

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While the above poses are focused on rhe shin and calves, as a runner, you want to keep your hips strong too. In this regard, the sacroiliac joint comes into the picture. This is a joint that acts as the link between the spine and the pelvis.

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Exercises for painful sacroiliac joint

Pelvis pain (Photo via Unsplash/Annie Spratt)

The following are some exercises you can include in your workout routine to help with the pain:

• Pelvic tilt
• Hip bridge
• Fire hydrant
• Clamshell

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Sacroiliac joint stretches

Joint stretches (Photo via Unsplash/Chalo Garcia)

Apart from the exercises, you can include some sacroiliac joint stretches in your routine too. Here're the stretches:

• Knee to chest stretch
• Lizard pose
• Butterfly stretch
• Pigeon pose

However, there are certain joint pain exercises to avoid if you experience sacroiliac joint pain. The idea is to ensure that you do not accidentally put more pressure on the pain points and exacerbate them.

Here's a list of SI joint pain exercises to avoid:

• Sit-up and crunch
• Deep squat
• Leg lift
• Running

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Ideally, if you’re doing stretches for shin splints, you shouldn’t do any high intensity or HIIT training till the muscles are ready to be worked on again.

As shin splints develop as a result of overworking of the muscles, it’s better to allow them to heal first. If you work with overworked muscles, you will be putting yourself at risk of serious injury.

If stretches for shin splints or yoga for muscle soreness do not help with pain relief, it’s possible that you need to consult a professional therapist or seek medical help for sore muscles.