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Home PT for Shin Splints (Read 555 times)

Venomized


Drink up moho's!!

    Back in 2008 I went to the doc for shin pain. Shin pain that I had from over use ranging back many months and from not giving myself proper healing time. The doc ruled out a stress fracture and gave me a script for an exercise program with PT.  I had this posted over at Runners World and many said it worked wonders for them in recuperating from the dreaded shin splints.


    Here is the prescribed routine:

    1. Calf Step Stretch; 15-20 seconds for 5 sets.  Begin this calf stretch standing with your heels over the edge of a step and hold onto a rail for balance as demonstrated (figure 4). Keeping your knees straight slowly let your heels drop down below the step until you feel a stretch in the back of your calf or knee (figure 4). Hold for 15 seconds






    2. Walk on toes up and down my living room, then walk on heels up and down my living room. I start in my rec room and go to my bedroom on the toes and return on my heels. Roughly 60 feet each way.

    3. Sitting toe raises as fast as you can for 1 minute.

           Sit down in a chair and raise your toes up off the ground leaving your heals in contact with the ground

    4. Standing heel raises 1 leg at a time for 20 sets each  See picture.





    Now you need a rubber band strap.

    5. Resisted Dorsil flexion. With the rubber band strap secured away from you pull your foot towards you while pivoting at the ankle. Do this 20 times with each foot.

    6. Resisted Plantar Flexion. Like above but pull the elastic band towards you and push off with the foot pivoting at the ankle. Prop your foot up on a pillow for help with this. 20 times each foot

    7. Resisted Eversion. Put both feet side by side slightly apart. Put the band around a foot and the route the band around your other foot as an anchor point. Twist the "lassoed" foot outward slowly but do not rotate the knee. 20 times each foot.

    8. Resisted Inversion. Feet straight out and crossed. Lasso 1 foot and then route the band around the other as an anchor and then slowly turn the foot away but don't rotate the knee. 20 times each foot.

    Here is a hyperlink to a pdf showing these 4 stretches.

    Now the reps quantity is whAT my PT had prescribed to me.  As my legs have gotten stronger I have moved up in the reps.  Stay at these or move up if you want.

    Do all of this daily. Ice as needed. Advil as needed, and of course rest.

    For the icing part she recommended to take some styrofoam cups and fill them half way and freeze them. Peel the cup half way to expose the ice and apply directly to the aggravated area.

    Edit


    BexKix, Bagel Defender

      Venom, I have linked more people to this routine than anything else running related.  Thank you for reposting.

        Thanks, this is really great.  I tend to have this problem when my calves get too tight and no matter what I do, I can never get them stretched out enough and massage only lasts so long.  Thank you for posting this!

        Gray Runner


        Running Bear

          Thanks Venom!  Amazingly, these types of exercises also helped with my PF.  Now you gave me some structure to the routine, and I will start making it a regular thing.  Only makes sense.  

          Upcoming races:  
          Mt. Cheaha 50K 2/22
          Georgia Death race 100K 3/15-16
          Sweetwater 50K 4/12
          Cruel Jewel 100 5/16-17
          Make It By Midnight FM 7/XX
          H9 50 mile 8/9
          Georgia Jewel 100 9/27
          Pacing at Pinhoti 100 11/XX
          Dunkin Ridge Trail 50K 11/XX
          Lookout Mtn 50 mile 12/20

          DoppleBock


            Interesting - What seems to work well and you do not even have to get your ass out of bed in the morining is ot make the alphabet with your big toes - flexing your foot to make all the smll and capital letters a-z and A-Z.  Doing this every morning before you roll out of bed with both help heal and prevent future issues.

            Long dead ... But my stench lingers !