stretching/strengthening exercises against shin splints

Hey guys,

 

unfortunately I've had some on-going health issues which halted most of my sportive/athletic activities, but now as I'm better again I finally want to get some consistent work in with Foundation One and the Stretch Courses.

 

I have one specific problem: 

I coach and play low-level basketball, and for already about 8 months I have pretty steady problems with shin splints/medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). I feel the pain on the inner side of my tibia, I would say beginning slightly above the ankle until the middle of the tibia. This concerns both legs the same way/intensity.

 

I've been to my orthopedist several times, have done some physiotherapy, I have rested for 3-4 weeks (for two times during this time span of 8 months), but when I started training again, the inflammation would be back soon. I've had an MRI, fortunately there's no stress fracture. I've never experienced this problem before (playing basketball for about 8 years now). I think the most probable explanation would be my faulty foot posture (flat foot, over pronation, weak arch of foot) - I'm using barefoot shoes (casual/everyday use) for about a year now to address this problem. In my sports shoes I wear orthopedic insoles.

 

So my question would be: Are there any stretches I should incorporate into a daily limbering routine? Are there perhaps also some strengthening exercises addressing the shin splint problem that I should perform additional to Foundation One?

 

Thank you for your help and have a good one;)

Hi Ferdinand, I had in the past 2 types of splints due to continuing absorbing, repulsing and rebounding movement on one joint, in my case was pommel horse (which creates a forearm splint) and the tumbling which creates the shin splint. You need to stop immediately. the splint it is a situation where a fascia around a bone rubs against the fascia of the other bone.

It takes months since it is so hard to rest completely. consider that every time you walk you rub the bones one against the other. same thing when you walk up down in a stair. you need more than 3-4 weeks, for me it required about 3  months of rest from absorbing, repulsing and rebounding movements.

Hi Alessandro,

 

thank you so much for your reply!

 

That's what I expected..as the basketball season is over anyway, resting is not too much of a problem. I will avoid any kind of running/jumping movement for the next months and focus on GST and Stretching, building up my body/posture from zero. I will do some climbing and other stuff, that doesn't require rebounding movements of the legs. But I can perform strengthening exercises like the Lower Leg training of Foundation One, as those don't cause the same sort of stress on the fascia as for example running does, right? Would you recommend massaging/foam rolling the inner side of my tibia (which my physiotherapist does)?

 

But all the recovery and resting process aside, I'm still wondering why I got the problem in the first place and I'm afraid that it might return, even if I rest for 3 months - in case I don't eliminate the underlying physical problem(s) I seem to have. Are there certain stretches or strengthening exercises which might help build up my body in the right way to address those issues?

 

I hope you're free of your splints forever, that stuff really sucks!

 

Actually there are not stretching poses of manual technique which can reduce the problem because the tissue involved makes a deep adhesion with the bone and it is so difficult to be managed, also the problem it is not the tissue which becomes tight, it is the tissue which creates friction against something else. you need to rest from painful movements.

Sorry, but I have to reopen this thread again!

So far I completely understand and resting is not a problem at all, I won't be too impatient. There's plenty of other stuff I can do in the meantime;) But I'm already fearing those shin splints returning whenever I resume running/jumping activities like basketball a few months from now.

 

Therefore I have two questions:

1. Is there any form of shin splint prevention protocol I can engage in? Perhaps exercises which address my (probably existing) flat-footedness or similar stuff? How can I sustainably prepare my lower body for any form of plyometric activity like running?

2. When I'm done with resting in let's say 3 months from now and want to get back to my normal activities, how should I start? I guess it would be a bad idea to directly jump into full running or playing basketball. Should I start with walks, shorter and lighter runs and gradual progress from there, or are there better, perhaps more careful ways than running?

The only prevention protocol it is to use the correct intensity and volume of training which usually it is by far less compared to our ego. the basic strength work on lower limbs it is necessary to prevent this type of problem.

it is difficult to say what you will be able to do from behind a monitor without knowing anything about your previous activity. you should be very conservative and avoid any type of absorbing activity like running ,printing or jumping.

So now it's about 2 months since my last engagement in basketball. I've not done any running, jumping or comparable stuff in the meantime. When touching the area on the inside of my lower tibia with force, I still experience some pain - I'm not sure if it's still the inflammation, which would be kind of strange and discouraging after 2 months of rest. 

I'm looking for a safe "re-entry" to sports...I don't have a problem with being intelligent and resting more, which btw I definitely will do for the next few weeks, but I want to go forward strategically, with a "plan". I've read about some exercises for the muscles around the tibia, e.g. standing with the back to the wall and dorsiflexing the ankle, pulling toes upwards for a certain number of reps. Another idea of mine was to use a balance pad for some balancing exercises on one foot or comparable stuff in order to strengthen my ankle and arch of foot. I'm already using barefoot shoes to strengthen my (flat) feet for about a year now..

What do you think about those ideas? I'd go on for a month with these exercises (I would probably add those to my Front Split Stretch workouts) and then slowly get back to rebounding movements like longer walks, short and slow runs, increasing intensity like that. 

Optimally I'd have my orthopedist and physio advising me, but I don't really get additional valuable information there.

Edit:

Perhaps an important piece of information about my condition: I don't get especially sore with most of F1, H1 and Stretch, but the FSS always gives me serious soreness in the calves for about 4-5 days. I cannot say if it's just the calf raises or also some of the stretches, but would this be relevant for my shin splint problem?

Sincerely, I do not have the necessary competency to guide you out of your problem.

The come back into an activity must be a face to face tutelage. no one here can judge your level of recovery, the healing process, tissue damage, body / structural imbalances and so on.