Shin splints exercises at home
Settle sore shins and build lower leg strength before you run again.
Welcome to your shin program. We will ease off the shins, then build strength in the calves and the front of the lower leg.
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Show them this program; in the app you'll confirm they've said it's OK for you before your first session. Exercise education, not medical advice. This is general guidance for common, non-serious shin pain, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a physiotherapist or doctor. Stop if pain is sharp or getting worse, and check the warning signs below before you start.
The program: 3 phases
Keep shin pain at three out of ten or less. Pain on one small spot of bone needs checking before you carry on.
Phase 1: Settle
Ease off and keep moving · Daily- Calf stretch, straight knee2 × 30s hold
Stand facing a wall with your sore leg back and both heels down.
Lean into the wall, keeping the back knee straight, until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold.
Tip: Keep your back foot pointing straight ahead.
You'll need: wall
- Calf stretch, bent knee2 × 30s hold
Stand facing a wall with your sore leg back.
Bend both knees and lean forward until you feel a stretch low in your calf. Hold.
Tip: Keep your back heel on the floor.
You'll need: wall
- Ankle alphabet1 round
Sit with your leg out and your foot off the floor.
Trace the letters of the alphabet in the air with your big toe.
Tip: Move only your ankle, not your whole leg.
You'll need: chair
- Towel scrunches2 × 10 reps
Sit with your foot flat on a towel on the floor.
Scrunch your toes to pull the towel toward you, then relax and spread your toes.
Tip: Keep your heel on the floor.
You'll need: towel
Phase 2: Strengthen
Lower leg strength · Daily- Toe raises3 × 12 reps
Stand with your back against a wall and your heels about a foot from it.
Lift the front of both feet off the floor, then lower them slowly.
Tip: Keep your knees straight and your heels down.
You'll need: wall
- Double heel raises3 × 15 reps
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on a counter.
Rise up onto your toes, then lower slowly.
Tip: Take two seconds up and three seconds down.
You'll need: counter for support
- Single-leg balance3 × 30s hold
Stand next to a counter for support.
Lift one foot and balance on the other leg. Hold.
Tip: Keep a slight bend in the standing knee and look at a fixed point.
You'll need: counter for support
Phase 3: Build
Strength for walking and running · Every other day- Single-leg heel raises3 × 10 reps
Stand on one leg with your hands on a counter.
Rise up onto your toes, then lower slowly.
Tip: Go as high as you can every rep.
You'll need: counter for support
- Toe raises3 × 15 reps
Stand with your back against a wall and your heels about a foot from it.
Lift the front of both feet off the floor, then lower them slowly.
Tip: Keep your knees straight and your heels down.
You'll need: wall
- Walking10 min
Choose a flat, safe route.
Walk at a comfortable pace for the time shown.
Tip: Walking keeps the back moving and is one of the best things you can do.
You'll need: comfortable shoes
- Single-leg balance3 × 30s hold
Stand next to a counter for support.
Lift one foot and balance on the other leg. Hold.
Tip: Keep a slight bend in the standing knee and look at a fixed point.
You'll need: counter for support
Well done. Build your running back slowly, and rest if the shins ache the next day.
Warning signs: get checked first
Don't start, or stop, and see a health professional if you answer yes to any of these. Red items need urgent care.
- Were you unable to take four steps right after the injury, or now?
- Is the bone tender at the back edge or tip of either ankle bone, or along the outside of the foot?
- Does the ankle or foot look out of shape?
- Is there one small spot on the shin bone that is very painful to touch?
- Does your lower leg feel tight, numb or tingly during exercise?
- Do you get chest pain, pressure or tightness with activity or at rest?
- Have you fainted, or had dizziness that made you lose balance, in the last 6 months?
- Do you have high blood pressure that is not under control?
Do it with Apex One
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Apex One+ then turns this program into guided sessions: a quick safety check, your confirmation that they've OK'd the program, a pain rating before and after, every exercise talked through out loud, and holds timed for you. Reps are counted out loud at a steady pace; the camera isn't used in rehab sessions. When your shin is coping, you move up a phase.
Questions
How often should I do shin splints exercises?
In this program, phase 1 (settle) is daily; later phases are every other day. Little and often works best, and rest days let the shin adapt.
Should shin splints exercises hurt?
Keep shin pain at three out of ten or less. Pain on one small spot of bone needs checking before you carry on.
When should I move to the next phase?
Move up when the current phase feels comfortable, pain stays low during and after sessions, and your shin settles by the next day. If pain flares, drop back a phase for a few sessions.
When should I see a physiotherapist or doctor?
Get assessed before starting if any warning sign below applies, if the pain followed a fall or injury, or if it is severe, getting worse, or not improving after a few weeks of regular exercise. Seek urgent care for symptoms like: does the ankle or foot look out of shape.
Can an app guide my rehab exercises?
Yes, once your physiotherapist or doctor has said the program is OK for you. Apex One+ walks you through this program out loud with timed holds and pain checks before and after every session. It's exercise education, not a diagnosis.