Inflamed Tibialis Anterior through Distance Running Jenna Hickey

Distance Running  Aerobic activity  Requires endurance and stamina  Has been in the Olympics since early on  Training involves a lot of mileage, and repetitions  While it is great for you, due to the repetitious force applied to the body, it can also have negative effects

Tibialis Anterior  Hard to stretch  Found on the lateral side of the shinbone  Can become inflamed due to excessive tension, force or repetitions applied to the muscle  Distance running involves a lot of force (pounding) and weight-bearing repetitions put on the muscle

Bones Involved  Tibia  Fibula

Muscles Involved  Peroneus longus and brevis  Extensor hallucis longus  Extensor digitorum  Gastrocnemius  Soleus  Achilles tendon

Stretch #1  Floor stretch  Toes and tops of feet touching the floor  Sit on heels  Keep your back straight and lean back  Hold for 30 seconds  Should feel the stretch in your shins

Stretch #2  Alternative stretch that doesn’t put as much pressure on the ankles  Stand on right leg, and cross the left calf on the shin of the right leg.  Put the tops of your right toes/feet on the ground to help extend the ankle  Bend your right leg to push your left ankle toward the floor gently  Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on opposite side

 These stretches work the lower portion of the tibialis anterior, but the upper portion is unable to be stretched fully unless you want to break your ankle  These stretches will help temporarily relieve the tension on the tibialis anterior, but since it is a difficult muscle to stretch, another good option is massage therapy