Stretching Shins?

[Emberchyld]

After my little adventure in NYC last week (on my feet at a lab from 2-5, then walking from 23rd and 1st to Rockefeller Center, skating, then walking to 74th and Columbus Circle... and meandering for the next hour around the same 4-block radius), I'm still feeling it in my sore muscles.

Most I can stretch out, but I can't figure out how to stretch my shins... Anyone have any stretches that I can do to help work away the soreness?

[icedancer2]

I'm not sure what you mean by stretching shins, but I find that if my shins get cramped up from too much walking or too much skating without stretching, if I do an achilles stretch (lunges, or sometihng where I bend my knee and stretch my back leg out behind and stretch the achilles tendon, that takes care of the cramp in the shins.

Anyone else?

[Derek]

Assuming you are referring the the muscles along the front of the lower leg, I have only stretched these off ice, with no boots on (or shoes). Kneeling down, buttocks touching the ground between heels. Slowly and gently lean back, stretching said muscles and also the quads ... This was a favourite exercise of mine in younger days. I can't think of any exercises with boots on ...

[skatingdoris]

I spent a long time trying to work out how on earth to stretch my shins a few years ago the first time I got shin splints and what Derek said was recomended to me.

However recently my SC dance teacher showed me the following which I have found to be a far stronger stretch for the shins if you need it.

Place the leg you want to stretch up on a high counter 'bar' of some description, around waist height, and with both legs straight point your toes hard.
Keeping them pointed slowly rotate your foot outwards from the ankle (your leg will rotate too but this is not the aim of the exercise so imagine turning from the ankle) so that the inside and sole of the foot turn up towards the ceiling (obviously you won't get the sole of the foot completely facing the ceiling!).
In this position you should feel a stretch down the lower part of your shins.

This is quite hard to describe and you will probably have to play around with it a bit at first until you find the stretch, but I promise it does the job!

[Team Arthritis]

LOL very timely -> I'm sitting here with my chair up a little high with my feet tucked under the chair topside down pressing the tops of my feet into the floor.
Lyle

[vesperholly]

I googled "shin stretch" and it came up with a bunch of stuff. Google is your friend. :)

[icedancer2]

This is the one I was trying to describe. You can do it on the ice or off. Scroll to the bottom of the page - the two on the left:

http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_news_frameset.html?http://www.runnersweb.com/running/deb_june2000.html

[herniated]

I'm a personal trainer and I've found this to help a lot. While sitting down(no skates) just tap your feet on the floor. Heels stay on the ground while you raise the toes in the air then just tap the front of your foot on the ground.several timesAnother good one is to walk on your heels. These are more of a warm up for shins rather than stretches. But they work wonders for sore shins too!!:D :D

[Emberchyld]

Thank you everyone for all of those stretches! I've been trying them all and slowly, but surely, I'm finally feeling the stretch (and the soreness going away).

[Sessy]

After my little adventure in NYC last week (on my feet at a lab from 2-5, then walking from 23rd and 1st to Rockefeller Center, skating, then walking to 74th and Columbus Circle... and meandering for the next hour around the same 4-block radius), I'm still feeling it in my sore muscles.

Most I can stretch out, but I can't figure out how to stretch my shins... Anyone have any stretches that I can do to help work away the soreness?


Cross your legs - that is, put your right foot just to the left of the left foot (and then visa versa for the other shin) and touch your toes with your fingers is what helps me with the backside of the lower part of the legs.