Calf and Ankle Stretching Workout for Shin Splints

[aeonjoey]

miss Nicole, I have to tell you: THANK YOU!!!! I did this today at the gym, and I was able to RUN at 6mph for 20 min straight! I haven't been able to do that in months! I had way too much shin pain, these stretches really worked for me! thank you! you made it super easy to do! I really appreciate it!!!

[MCoolieM12]

Hi I have had my legs tightening and my feet in the middle tightening sometimes and it gets very painful, what kind of exercises could I do so I don't wak up with pain sometime syou do not have control to move the muscles or move around for a few minutes because of the pain.I've also had them standing up

[tomnlisa]

I was having terrible pain from shin splints, did these stretches before my walk today and it helped a lot -- not pain free, but a lot less pain! Thanks.

[brotheryang]

This may be a stupid question but My track is about 10 to 15 mins away. can i do the warm ups and my house and stretch there or should i use my car as the wall when i get to the track?

[sparkpeople]

@brotheryang Not a stupid question. If you warm up and then sit to drive 10-15 minutes, you've just negated your warm up. Warm up at the track and try to find a place to stretch there- any wall, fence--your car should work too. I recommend stretching AFTER your workout for most effectiveness.

[MyNameBaboo]

cute

[crazeydonut2]

This works really well for shin splints!

[mat876]

you can strain your muscles by stretching when they are cold

and i have a question for anyone who knows,  when i run my shin really burn and aches , i have just started , but its real agony, and im not even out of breath , is it somthing im not doing? because i walk for 4 minutes before running, to warm up

[alevdean]

these stretches have helped me tremendously,thank you for posting them!

[alevdean]

@whatmakesacatacat same here!

[aka1darkknight]

hello spark people. I have Osgood Schlatters in both legs, and I was stupid yesterday--I ran in old, old running shoes for fifty minutes (under 8 min. pace), and then later played basketball for two hours, after my legs were inflamed. They still hurt the next day. Walking, sitting down, stairs, etc. are killing me. So, I can't really warm up, don't have any running shoes right now. I've had 3 stress fractures in these legs (all at once a few yrs. ago). Is it possible that I re-stres frac'd?

[sparkpeople]

@aka1darkknight That's a question for your doctor, not SparkPeople. Sorry!

[dalerobertmoore]

@hypeer12 no you gimp you get the leg muscles warm b4 u stretch go back school u fool

[mjufpn]

its better to have warmed up muscle so the stretching has a better result, but light stretching can go first....NEVER stretch before warmup dough...

[kryptikv]

no. you are warming up your muscles so they are not stiff before you stretch. so the sequence is warm up, stretch, do your routine, warm down, stretch.

[Moses771]

@hypeer12 A light stretch, before a heavy workout but AFTER a warm-up, is helpful for injury prevention.

Intensive stretching should be done when the muscles are warm - after a workout.

[sparkpeople]

Nope. Muscles must be warm before stretching. I actually recommend after the cool down at the end of your workout.

[Doza130]

How warm is warm? I usually get my HR up to my workout HR, to warm... is that enough?

[sparkpeople]

@Doza130 Good question! I'd say "warm" is typically after 3-5 minutes of light to moderate activity.

[xP4CK3RZ]

@sparkpeople Warm up, stretch, work out, stretch, cool down

[MyNeighboursSuck]

great vid I'm gonna try these out

[omshaka2000]

I used to have to do those stretches every day because when I was younger I had severs disease, which is when the muscles in your calves get really tight because of things like secondhand smoke, or a parent. Mine was because my dad had it when he was younger, and it hurt so bad! I couldn't run for months :( haha, this workout brings bad memories lolz

[amzdagz]

this may sound stupid and so obvious but is it best to stretch before or after a warm up or both ?

[sparkpeople]

At the end of your workout

[gogeta486]

@sparkpeople I need help, This isn't working, ive been playing football lately, and for the last few years I havent been working my legs out so I started getting shin splints for the last few weeks and nothing seems to work :(

[TheMrsglambert]

Thank you:) My calves have really been hurting me.

[biscuitsOFdoom]

this rocks. I have really bad shin splints from running on the balls of my feet and this helps a lot! btw I just started playing soccer so I haven't ran in a long time before this.

[1january1863]

Great

[therev751]

if u get bad cramps drink pickle juice ya i know it sounds weird but it works

[bevon17]

I wish they had a question mark sign next to the thumbs...

pickle juice for cramps?

really?

mm ill have to look into that one

[Pelonetillo]

take potassium for cramps. banana or coconut water.

[JakeSmaszcz]

actually yea it does work. its really gross but i have a muscle condition in my leg and my doctor told me to stretch and take these antibiotics that help with it. And pickle juice was also another option. It doesn't work as fast as stretching though.

[tooteyfrootey]

@bevon17 Absolutely....pickle juice was used way before gatorades and all that. Professional athletes still drink pickle juice. It is the perfect balance of salts, electrolytes, etc. It keeps you hydrated and it also helps with stomach aches. The important thing to know is you should only drink 2 oz. only.

[bevon17]

lol you're right

deficiency in acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that stimulates your muscles to work. Pickle juice has acetic acid, which helps the body make more acetylcholine.

[MyNeighboursSuck]

among other things, cramps are mostly due to dehydration. isotonic drinks before a workout are best

[MrsSeal]

I couldn't pull this workout on the site...so glad you guys put them on youtube!

THANKS!!!!! Been a member since June 2007 :o)

[jeffwdc]

Wow, this did the trick! Thanks, Coach Nicole!

[a7green]

....... Thanks for the stretching tips.

[blee3ee]

whenever I start running my lower leg muscles start to cramp and burn and it feels like theyre gonna explode they tighten up so much.

why is this? i cant run because of this. it doesnt happen when i walk.

[DoesNotApply]

could be diet. trying drinking v8 before you run and make sure your legs are warm.

[D0g63rt]

Sock gnomes planted some chemical in your foot gear. Seek a gnome removal agency near you.

[purplequeet]

you noe if your a dancer (like me ) and you would like to stretch for cuts and splits you can sit on the floor by a wall and open your legs in a second postion and then push your self up towards the wall wen you feel the pain relax in that position and wen the tention eases up move up more and gradually your legs should be sraight across the wall

[orinincandenza]

shin splints are the worst, thank you coach nicole

[eiffel65isawesome]

SHIN SPLINTS SUCK

[xxLittlepayasoxx]

Thanks so much, It healed my shinsplint all I did was stretch every day for about 10 minutes twice a day I had my shinsplint for about a month and in 2 weeks it healed with these stretches

[frozensoulxd]

mine healed in 2 days from watching another video D:

[LoyalFlames]

This is great, exactly what I needed. Thanks so much for this

[vanskater15]

i dont have a wall...

[gregaxx81]

ahahahahah

[Britishbulldog87]

lol.. i like this comment, thumbs up for you :D

[ashcare4u]

Lovely, lol

[Toonman88]

Came home tonight from AFL training with horrible pain and this really helped relax my shin splints and loosen my calves .. I'm doing these daily !

[alfonso14flores]

thanks im just recovering from my broken ankle

[sgtrayelwood]

Me too (trimalleolar fracture). I'll try this to build up strength - looks like it should help.

[smhan101]

that helped a lot, thanks

[smhan101]

that really helped a lot. thanks

[joshuaowens001]

thanks that really work

[bajan13k]

I think that helped a lot, thanks a lot...

[OGjamesOG]

Wondeful! Thanks again, I always enjoy your videos (b^_^)b