11 Shin Splints Exercises And Stretches To Relieve Pain

To optimize your shin splint situation, you can try out calf stretch while seated to relieve pain and discomfort. Tight calves can result in increased pronation, which might cause more stress to the shin. This ultimately raises the risk of shin splints. 

So, by stretching with this simple workout, you can say goodbye to shin pain and loosen those calf muscles to function properly. 

Steps To Do It:

• Sit on the floor with the legs straight out in front of you.
• Grab a towel and loop it around the front of your foot. 
• Take a deep breath, engage the core, and start pulling the towel towards you in slow motion. 
• Remember to keep the legs straight. Bent knees can render the workout ineffective. 
• Pull the towel till you feel a good stretch in the calves. 
• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then return back to the initial pose. 
• Continue repeating this move for 4-6 reps.

Along with its help to reduce shin splint pain, the toe raise workout may also offer relief during dorsal foot pain and tibialis anterior tendinopathy. 

Steps To Do It:

• Begin by leaning your back against a wall.
• Take a few steps ahead and then support the entire body through your back.
• Now, lift the toes as high as possible. Stop when it starts to feel painful.
• The heels should be firmly planted to the ground. 
• Hold the raised toes for 30 seconds to a minute. 
• Then, lower the toes to return to the initial pose. Keep on raising the toes 10 times.

We already know about the seated calf stretch, so now let’s learn about the standing variant. This exercise is quite simple and just requires a wall for support. You can easily perform this stretch at home or office. 

Steps To Do It:

• Face a wall and place your hands on them at shoulder level. 
• Place the left leg behind you. Both feet should be pointed toward the wall.
• Now, start bending the front knee and press the chest and hip toward the wall. 
• Remember to keep the back leg straight and the heels placed firmly on the floor.
• Push yourself until you feel a deep calf stretch. 
• Stay in that position for 30-40 seconds. 
• Return to the original position and then switch the legs.

Walking on heels is a great way to strengthen shins and reduce pain from shin splints. We can practice this anywhere, anytime, making it one of the best exercises for shin splints.

Be mindful of your balance while walking in heels. If you have balance or coordination issues, avoid performing this exercise for extended periods.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand tall with your flat back and relaxed shoulders.
• Put the hands at your sides, engage the abdominal muscles, then lift your toes.
• Raise them as high as you can. Then, start walking with the heels.
• Walk 20 steps to get the most out of this workout. Once you complete 20 steps, bring the toes down and rest for a few seconds.
• Continue this workout 10-12 times.

This simple stretching exercise might seem ineffective for the shins at first, but there’s more to it. People with flat feet can support their arches with this exercise. A stable arch helps evenly distribute stress on the shins.

Practice toe curls regularly on a smooth surface to help relieve shin pain. You can do this exercise either standing or seated in a chair.

Steps To Do It:

• Place a towel in front of your body. 
• Place the affected foot on the towel. All the toes should lie on the towel. The heels may or may not touch the towel. 
• Next, clench the towel and scrunch the toes gently. Increase the intensity of the scrunch as you get used to it. 
• Opt for 10-12 reps to support your arches and reduce pain from shin splints. 

Primarily focused on the front of your tibia muscle, this exercise could become painful if you have severe pain in the shin. Hence, don’t perform if the shin splints have worsened over time. 

To get a deeper stretch, we can turn our toes inward while pressing the foot into the floor. This stretch is also great for increasing lower body flexibility and giving strength to the muscles around the shin. This makes it one of the top leg strengthening exercises too.

Steps To Do It:

• Get down on your knees and sit on the legs (without putting too much pressure).
• We start by positioning our toes so they point slightly inward.
• Then, place our palms on the floor just in front of our knees.
• Let’s hold here for 30 seconds to really engage the anterior tibia.
• We can also deepen the tibia stretch by lifting our body off the floor, pressing through our palms.
• Now, we must rest on our toes, which shifts more weight and pressure toward the tibia.

Another wonderful shin splints workout on this list, the Single Leg Bridge reduces stress in the shin by vigorously engaging the hip flexors and hamstrings. 

This is the fun variation of glute bridge that stretches more muscles than the traditional version. However, if you have lower back pain, it’s important to take extra care while doing this exercise. 

Steps To Do It:

• Lie down on your back with your arms beside you and legs extended forward. 
• Slowly bend the knees with your feet planted firmly on the ground. 
• Next, press the heels and start lifting the hips off the ground. The knees must stay at a 90-degree angle to the floor.
• Lift the right leg straight into the air, pointing towards the ceiling. 
• Remember to keep the hips, back, and shoulders aligned in a straight line.
• Once you raise the leg, stay there for 30 seconds. 
• Bring the right leg down slowly and then repeat for the left one. 
• Perform 10 reps for each side.

One of the simplest leg strengthening exercises out there, calf raises help to maintain well-defined calf muscles, which can offset some of the impacts from strenuous physical activities like running and jumping.

Seniors might have trouble doing this exercise correctly since it primarily relies on the balance and coordination skills of an individual. In such cases, they can take the support of a chair or wall.

Steps To Do It:

• Get on an elevated platform with your arms at your sides. The back should be straight and the shoulders relaxed. 
• Take a deep breath, engage the core, and raise your heels through pressing the toes. 
• At the top, squeeze the calf muscles and hold for a few seconds. 
• Lower the heels gently. Once the feet are flat on the ground, lift them again to the same height as the previous rep. 
• Continue this process for 10 reps.
• Incorporate this workout in your daily leg workouts to feel a good stretch.

Heel drops are a low-impact workout that easily engages the shin and surrounding muscles. They could also be used to offer relief from Achilles tendon issues.

To do this exercise properly, you'll require a sturdy step platform, or you could use the edge of a stair as a home alternative. For optimal results, make it a habit to practice them daily.

Steps To Do It:

• Get onto the step platform and stand up straight.
• Meanwhile, the left toes should lie staggering on the edge of the step platform. 
• Now, it’s time to shift the weight to left leg and push the heels down. 
• Bend the right knee as you move the left heel toward the ground.
• Feel the stretch in your left shin and surrounding muscles. 
• Hold the stretched pose for 30 to 40 seconds.
• Repeat this activity for 10 to 15 reps and switch the leg.

Engage the shins, knees, and hips with this easy exercise for shin splints. It is also helpful for promoting better posture via strengthening the lower back muscles. 

You can easily do this exercise at home - just a small space and a yoga mat are enough to conduct this exercise successfully. Try to lift the legs slowly in order to feel that extra burn in the muscles. 

Steps To Do It:

• Lie down on your side on a yoga mat. Keep the legs stacked on top of one another.
• Keep the top leg straight, while the bottom leg could be kept straight or with a little bend to the knee.
• You could also support your head with your arm or simply use a pillow.
• Now, begin lifting the top leg without bending the knee.
• Lift it in a slow and controlled motion, getting a good stretch throughout the process.
• Go as high as you can. After reaching the maximum height attainable, lower down the leg slowly.
• Practice this workout 15 times and then work on your other side.

Named after the wide, stomping steps that feel like the “monster” shuffle, the Monster Walk is great for improving the shin splints condition and reducing pain around the hips and knees.

It’s crucial to use a resistance band for this workout, keeping tension in the band with small, controlled steps. Also, be careful not to let your knees collapse inward, as this can make the stretches less effective.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand upright with your feet at a shoulder width distance.
• Tie a resistance band around your thighs or ankle. Maintain a good tension in the band.
• Next, get into a high squat position.
• Imagine a square on the floor. To perform this exercise effectively, you need to visualize this specific pattern.
• First, step forward with your right foot, then follow with your left. Move sideways with your right foot, then step back with your right again, followed by your left.
• Continue this pattern of small steps for 5-7 reps.

1. Understand Your Body’s Limitations

When we practice exercises with medial tibial stress syndrome, it’s crucial to stay mindful of our body’s condition. Ignoring what our body desires can actually worsen the injury and increase pain.

So, while doing these exercises, pay close attention to signs like fatigue, discomfort, headaches, or anything that might signal the need to stop the session.

2. Sudden Increase In Intensity

Abruptly increasing the intensity of the workouts would only result in further injuries in the shin. It might be tempting to do exercises with toughness and go hard on momentum, but this is totally counter-productive.

We could gradually increase the intensity of each exercise after practicing it for 10-15 minutes. This way, the targeted muscles get loosened up and warmed up to handle more intense reps.

3. Exercising On Uneven Surfaces

Avoid uneven surfaces like a plague when practicing your shin splint exercises. This is especially applicable to people who desire to go outdoors for workout sessions. 

Outdoor surfaces can be uneven in ways we might not notice right away. Exercising on these surfaces adds extra stress to our legs, which can make our efforts less effective.

4. Wearing Improper Shoes

When exercising your shins, it’s also important to choose comfortable and quality footwear that fits well with your feet.  Shoes that don't fit your foot properly or are too tight can cause various problems regarding balance and coordination. 

Meanwhile, worn-out shoes can lead to added stress on the body since they don’t absorb impact as well as quality shoes designed to handle various physical demands.

We may face bad luck when doing exercises for shin pain relief, with the pain only increasing instead of dissipating. If such a situation arises, it’s time to consult with a health professional.

A sudden pain during or post-workout may be due to underlying health conditions. We might also come across swelling in the shin region. If this occurs, it needs to be immediately checked out.

Appearance of other issues like burning sensations, cramps, or numbness also warrants a doctor’s visit. Moreover, if we’re working out regularly but aren’t seeing any improvement, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor to see if specific adjustments are necessary.

1. Ice Massage

Along with the regular practice of shin pain exercises, home remedies like ice massage can also soothe those painful shins. Start by taking out some ice from the refrigerator and then wrap them in a small cloth. 

Then, apply them to the affected area in a gentle, controlled motion for 10 minutes. If the pain doesn’t subside, then we can extend the time up to 30 minutes.

2. Put Arch Support In Shoes

During shin splints, a slight stress in the legs can also turn painful. So, to avoid this situation, we must apply an arch support in our shoes, i.e. extra insoles. This method aids to alleviate the worst of the stress in the lower legs.

With arch support, we can now easily engage in various physical activities without worrying about our lower body. Activities like walking, running, and jumping become much less painful with the added comfort of extra insoles.

3. Rest

This is a self-explanatory term that doesn’t need much introduction. When we exercise our legs during a shin splint, we should take consistent rest in between the sessions. Taking some rest days will be very useful to heal the affected region.

Moreover, when we suffer from shin splint, we should avoid practicing high-impact workouts since they could make matters worse.

Disclaimer: The content presented in this article is only intended to be used for information purposes. It should not be taken as a form of medical / clinical advice.