Shin Splint Exercises?

[Volshan]

Hey guys. I am an overweight/obese individual and for the past few years I have lived an extremely sedentary lifestyle. However, I am trying to change that by eating healthy and exercising again.

After I started trying to walk again however, I suffer from shin splints, or at least weak muscles in that area.

What I want to know is, what exercises can I do to strengthen my shins and how long do you think it will be until I can walk the several miles I used to be able to without experiencing any shin pain? I used to be able to walk several miles and the only pain I would experience was foot pain due to my being overweight. But now I can't even walk a mile without these shin splints destroying me.

So far I have been doing toe raises, where I sit and raise my toes off the ground repeatedly, gradually shifting into more lengthy holds until I can really feel the burn, and continuing this for a little while. This affects the front of my legs more than it seems to do the side.

Another thing I've tried lately, is laying prone and rolling my foot around so it's both pulled inward and pointed outwards in the circular motion and after 30 repetitions and several sets of that, it really feels like I'm doing something right because it's such an intense muscle burn feeling, kind of what I feel when I go out walking and experience my shin splints. Is this a worthy exercise though? I can't find anything detailing if this technique is good or bad, particularly because I don't know the name for it if it even has a name.

Thanks guys.

[Austin109]

both of those are fine. honestly though your best bet would be to try to do some sort of cycle work for a while. it may just be your muscles have an issue carrying around your body weight for that long. dieting down and dropping some weight should help dramatically.

[Volshan]

both of those are fine. honestly though your best bet would be to try to do some sort of cycle work for a while. it may just be your muscles have an issue carrying around your body weight for that long. dieting down and dropping some weight should help dramatically.

Yes, I am eating healthy, like I have never done before in my life. Making it a lifestyle, not a diet, and hopefully it'll be another prong in my fight to finally get slim and fit.

[BigRick87]

See a good foot doctor. The exercises you will do can depend on wear the shin splints are.
Anterior or posterior. If you are flat footed, or if you have a high arch with make a difference, and if you overpronate or supinate when walking will make a difference and can cause shin splints. Also you want to make sure that you did not develop compartment syndrome instead of shin splints, if you did get compartment syndrome then you will definitly be wanting to see a doctor. The correct doctor should be able to give you exercises to strengthen any weak muscles, stretch the tight muscles, prescribe custom orthotics if needed ( which can help alot) and can prescribe an anti inflammatory. Goodluck.