Shin splints?!
Question: How can I get rid of them? Ice doesn't help and neither does just not running for a few days, they just come back. Any excercises to help/stop them? I play volleyball basically year round, so I really need some good advice! Thanks
Answers: How can I get rid of them? Ice doesn't help and neither does just not running for a few days, they just come back. Any excercises to help/stop them? I play volleyball basically year round, so I really need some good advice! Thanks
There are a couple of things you can do. First, check your shoes. Often, shin splints are caused by a lack of arch support or a too flexible shoe. Consult a trainer in sports medicine and have him/her examine your shoes. Volleyball players are notorious for having cute shoes and sore shins.
Next, get an elastic band (not a rubber band) that is used for exercise. Have someone hold one end, loop the band around the top of your foot and pull your toes up toward you against the band. Use slow, controlled movements. All the way down and all the way up. Work up to three sets of 25 reps.
Ice massage often helps. Get a paper cup and fill it 3/4 with water. Put it in the freezer. After it freezes, peel away part of the bottom of the cup to expose the ice and massage it on your shins for 7-10 minutes in nice smooth small circles up and down.
Stretch the back of your calf with your knee straight and then with your knee bent. Stretch the front of your shin one of two ways:
grab your foot like you're doing a quad stretch only focus on stretching the muscle that attaches to the shin.
Or
Kneel down on the ground where you're sitting on your heels and lean back gently as far as you can.
Another option is to have a trainer who understands shin splints to tape your shins before you train. The tape is used to support the muscle and keep it from trying to pull away from the shin which is what causes the pain.
If you have shin pain that is achy and wakes you up at night, you may want to make sure you don't have a tibial stress fracture.
Hope it helps. Good luck!
These things really hurt... I know. Stand facing a wall. Place your hands on the wall (pressing the wall at shoulder height) and step back with one foot pressing the heel to the floor. Do this for a bout 10-15 seconds and then switch feet. The leg that is not being stretched will need to bend a bit in front... just do these about 2-3 times throughout the day and it always helps me.
My son is in track and has really bad shin splints. The physical trainer actually taped his arches and the bottom of his foot to provide more support.
He has low arches and the trainer said this was one of the most common causes of shin splints. She recommend some type of shoe support for his arches.
I do not believe you will find an exercise that will help these. They are caused by the shape of your foot and the way you walk and stand. Try finding some type of arch support or tape your feet with sports tape to see if this helps.
While your doing all that stretching, eat a bannana. Lack of potassium will surely give you muscle cramps