Shin Splints And Balance Exercises

 2 Balance Exercises For Shin Splints

By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via www.exerciseforbalance.com

   Shin splints can be a common malady for people who walk, run or participate in other weight bearing activities, but can be helped by following certain treatments and adding strengthening and  balance exercises to your fitness program. Please see more at     http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Signs and symptoms of shins splints, also known as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, can come on gradually and can often include tenderness, soreness or pain along the inner side of your shinbone and mild swelling in your lower leg. At first, the pain might stop when you stop exercising. Eventually, however, the pain can be continuous and might progress to a stress reaction or stress fracture. Generally, shin splints are caused by repetitive stress on the shinbone and the connective tissues that attach your muscles to the bone. There are several risk factors which can include:

You're a runner, especially one beginning a running program

You suddenly increase the duration, frequency or intensity of exercise

You run on uneven terrain, such as hills, or hard surfaces, such as concrete

You're in military training 

You have flat feet or high arches

Furthermore, there are several common activities that can lead to shin splints like playing basketball, doing high impact aerobics, running, jumping rope, playing tennis, playing on Astroturf or other hard surfaces. In addition, shin splints can be caused by Overpronation which occurs when the foot rolls inwards too much flattening the arch of the foot and causing the lower leg to rotate inwards. This in turn increases the stress on the soft tissues of the lower leg resulting in pain and inflammation. Over supination is where the foot rolls outwards too much during the time the foot is in contact with the ground. If you think you have suspected biomechanical issues then a professional can do gait analysis tests either with a treadmill or using force plates to determine this and whether corrective orthotic inserts for your shoes are needed. Inadequate footwear such as the wrong type of shoe for your running style or running shoes that are just too old and have lost their support and cushioning can cause injury. Over pronators may require a running shoe with a firmer midsole on the inside to reduce the amount of rolling in (known as a stability shoe or motion control shoe). Supinators usually require a neutral shoe with plenty of cushioning. A specialist running shop can advise. Increasing training too quickly is one of the more common causes of shin splints. Running on hard surfaces or on your toes as in sprinting and generally doing too much too soon will increase the risk of injury. Poor flexibility at the ankle can cause increased stress on the soft tissues, muscles and tendons of the lower leg when running. The calf muscles and in particular the tibialis posterior muscle may need stretching. Calf stretches of the use of a plantar fasciitis night splint can help. To minimize the risk of getting shin splints you can precede your fitness regime by performing specific lower leg strengthening exercises and balance exercises to develop strength and stability skills in targeted muscles.

 Balance Exercises For Shin Splints

     balance exercises  and strength training can help reduce the symptoms of shin splints. Since the balance system in the brain relies heavily on sensory feedback from the feet and ankles to help with balance reactions, stability exercises are important for people with weakness and pain from shin splints to practice every day to maximize their balance skills.  Specific balance training can help the individual learn to control their body center of weight in challenging balance situations.  You can work on centering your body weight in the middle of your feet with your eyes closed to develop necessary balance reactions. Additionally, you can perform calf raises to enhance both leg strength and steadiness. You can learn how to perform these balance exercises and strengthening routines by following the direction of a qualified Physical therapist in the Exercise For Balance DVD.

 Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

[caption id="attachment_6391" align="alignright" width="150"] Learn how to perform balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD[/caption]
    To beat shin splint pain,  get started on a course of the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The healthcare provider recommended Exercise For Balance DVD is a high quality instructional DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The easy to understand and simple to follow Exercise For Balance DVD includes  a step by step series of the latest balance and strength exercises necessary to optimize general fitness and to carry out basic daily activities like shopping, doing laundry,  walking, standing, cleaning house, stair climbing or to advance to more difficult pursuits like skiing, dancing, playing golf and hiking. In the  comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve stability, how to apply steadiness techniques and how to safely execute balance routines from a  qualified balance specialist --- licensed Physical Therapist---who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 25 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

Stop leg pain by starting balance exercises today with the Exercise For Balance DVD to improve balance and prevent falls.
For more information see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/