Beverly Hills Chiropractic: Shin Muscle Stretch for Tibialis Anterior Pain Relief

Shin splints is a very common malady limping into my Beverly Hills sports chiropractic office. Yes, runners are at a high risk for developing shin splints, but other athletes can become afflicted too. Shin splints is a pain in the lower leg, or shin area. It can be on the front of the leg or sometimes even felt in the calf area.

Shin splints have a number of musculoskeletal structures involved, and I encourage you to read the article I have written on fixing shin splints, but what I would like to show you here is how to stretch one muscle often involved in shin splints: tibialis anterior.

The tibialis anterior runs on the front part of the shin, or the anterior compartment, and it dorsiflexes the foot, which is bringing the foot closer toward the chest. It is involved in stabilizing the ankle during the gait cycle, particularly on heel strike, when the foot hits the ground. It then contracts to firm up the foot in the full weight bearing stage when the other leg swings past. In sports that rely on kicking objects like soccer or martial arts, the tibialis anterior locks the foot and ankle in place for a toe kick.

When the tibialis anterior gets tight it can cause pain in front of the shin or ankle area. Shin splints is an extreme version of pain that can be felt to a lesser degree by just about anybody that is active, or even in those that have recently walked a longer distance than they're used to. In the video below, I demonstrate a simple, yet effective, way to stretch the dorsiflexors of the foot, including the tibialis anterior. Depending on your level of tightness, you may need the help of a yoga block or rolled-up towel, but watch the video for the instruction. Enjoy.

Foot Dysfunction Captured on Tape

I often have to explain overpronation to a number of my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood chiropractic clients.  I have finally found a video (please see below) that does a great job illustrating what happens to the feet during the gait cycle when overpronation is an issue.

Overpronation is an excessive turning out of the feet (to be more accurate for you doctors out there--pronation a combination of eversion, abduction and dorsiflexion).  Pronation is a natural movement that we all do (or are supposed to do, anyway) during the toe-off phase of the gait cycle (walking).  Pronation is necessary to launch off our big toe in order to take a step.

Overpronators, then, turn their foot excessively causing a chain of events occurring up the foot, leg and thigh, and eventually into the back, which can lead to excessive wear and tear on joints and cause pain.  Some common maladies attributable to overpronation are:

• foot pain
• plantar fasciitis (burning heel pain)
• tight calves
• shin splints
• knee pain
• meniscal tears
• tight iliotibial bands (leading to outer thigh and knee pain)
• tight hip flexors
• sciatica
• low back pain
• and more

The real way to correct overpronation, and thus prevent any of the above issues from becoming chronic and leading to breakdown, is the use of custom-made orthotics.  Despite a current trend toward believing (hoping?) that barefoot running is the solution to all foot dysfunction, low back pain, goiter, syphilis and every other malady of the modern world, I can assure you I have seen nothing better for resolving musculoskeletal problems caused by overpronation than orthotics (and, believe me, people have been trying).

Watch the video below to get a clear picture of what is happening during overpronation.

West Hollywood Chiropractor on Orthotics for Back Pain

Low back pain can be caused by a number of things, but one of the most common disorders I see in my West Hollywood sports chiropractic office happens to be a gait dysfunction. Our gait--or the way we walk--is dependent on a number of factors, one of which is the structural make-up (or breakdown) of our feet.

One such dysfunction is called overpronation, which is an excessive turning in of the feet during the gait cycle. Overpronation is usually the result of flat feet or collapsing arches. This excessive turning in causes a dysfunctional chain of events up the legs and to the low back. Some common symptoms, along with low back pain, are shin splints, sciatica, tight hips, and poor posture, among other things.

The answer to low back pain caused by overpronation is to have custom orthotics made for your feet. We cast orthotics in my West Hollywood chiropractic office, and within two weeks you'll a comfortable and effective pair of shoe insert arch supports that are made specifically for your natural arch.

Please watch the video above to see overpronation in action, and a sample of custom-made orthotics. If you are having low back pain and you suspect that your feet may be part of the problem, please contact your local chiropractor today. If you are in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills or Los Angeles you can contact this chiropractor and we'll evaluate your feet so you can kick low back pain to the curb.