Shin Pain or Shin Splints Caused By Driving
Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert
Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney
Driving and shin pain happens to many people. Fortunately, relief is easy to get with just a few minutes of focused self-treatment.
If you drive long distances you are repetitively straining the muscle that runs down the outside of your shin bone. The muscle called tibialis anterior spans from below your knee along your shin bone and inserting into your arch. It can become so tight that the fibers will begin to pull away from the bone, a condition called “shin splints.” This is a painful condition and is easy to fix. Continue reading for
Shin Splint Treatment You Can Do Yourself
To find the muscle, press your fingers on the thick muscle that is just to the outside of your shin bone. Pick up the front of your foot, and then press down, like you are applying pressure to your gas pedal. You’ll feel the muscle contracting under your fingertips. As you are driving for hours, the muscle can get so strained you’ll have shin pain all the way to the front of your ankle.
There are several things you can do for shin splint treatment and relieving the tightness of this muscle. You can use the Julstro Perfect Ball (don’t leave home without it), or a tennis ball which is less effective but will work. Place the ball at the top of the muscle, just below your knee. Then press down hard and slide all the way to your ankle. Curling your toes as shown will help stop the feeling of a cramp in your arch.
You’ll find a tender point about mid-way down the muscle, it may even feel like a bump. This is the common site of the spasm that is shortening the muscle fibers and causing them to put pressure onto your shin bone. Keep pressing your lower leg into the ball until it doesn’t hurt any longer. You’ve gone a long way to releasing the tension in the muscle and eliminating the pain.
My book, Treat Yourself to Pain Free Living , or the Lower Body DVD, demonstrates how to do the treatments easily. If the muscle is really tight, the treatment will be a bit painful, so only apply enough pressure that it “hurts so good.” You’ll be so glad you took the time to stop and work out the tension in your leg, it will make the rest of your trip safer and a lot more pleasant! Once you have experienced the success, you will not forget this shin splint treatment.
Wishing you well,
Julie Donnelly
About The Author
Julie Donnelly is a Deep Muscle Massage Therapist with 20 years of experience specializing in the treatment of chronic joint pain and sports injuries. She has worked extensively with elite athletes and patients who have been unsuccessful at finding relief through the more conventional therapies.
She has been widely published, both on – and off – line, in magazines, newsletters, and newspapers around the country. She is also often chosen to speak at national conventions, medical schools, and health facilities nationwide.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.