As I am inching closer to hitting my half marathon training full-stride (pun intended), I thought I would post a few more tips for you fellow runners out there.
Tight Calves - If you are a chronic distance runner, or just starting out, and are finding yourself with very tight calves (or the other muscles in the posterior part of your lower leg), try this: Sleep on your stomach with your feet hanging off the bed and your toes point towards the ground. As you sleep, gravity will slowly do its thing and stretch your calves out during the night so you should wake up with nice, loose calves!
Now the opposite, shin splints - Many people think (and feel) that shin splints are caused by impact pain to the bones in the lower legs. The truth of the matter is that shin splints are caused by stressing the tibialis anterior which is the muscle that runs parallel to your tibia (shin) and works to dorsiflex your foot (point your toes skyward). To help in rehabilitation or PRE-habilitation, try these:
1. Stand with your back against a wall with your feet about a foot from the wall. Legs straight. Now raise your toes. Do between 30 and 50 reps or go till failure.
2. Stretch your tibialis anterior muscle by squatting in front of a rail that you are grasping and leaning back until you feel the stretch down the front of your leg.
If you start to get shin splints, immediately finish each workout with a thorough icing and back off any bouncing until the pain goes away.
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