How to Do Sports Massage for Shin Splints

Shin splints are terribly painful. Many people use the term "shin splints" to describe any lower leg pain. In fact, shin splints happen to be a very specific problem. They usually occur in athletes who have overworked the muscles in the calf and lower leg. The extra strain put on the muscles begins to pull and strain the tendons that attach them to the fibula and tibia. In more severe cases, the tendons actually begin to tear away from the bone. It becomes extremely painful. Sports massage is a proven way to speed up the healing time for shin splints.

Instructions

• 1

  Apply a generous amount of baby oil to your hands and begin working your muscles. Stroke upwards from your ankle to your knee in smooth, gentle strokes. After your muscles begin to warm up, you can apply more and more pressure to these upward strokes.

• 2

  Stroke gently with no pressure from your knees to your ankles once you reach the top. Make sure to apply no pressure to these downward strokes because it could damage your veins.

• 3

  Apply firm, massage-like pressure with the opposite thumb to the posterior muscles behind the calf. Continue this for about 5 minutes.

• 4

  Begin applying pressure across the posterior muscles. These should be strokes that go against the grain of the muscle. Work your way up the shin.

• 5

  Alternate steps 3 and 4 for 10 minutes. The entire session should last no longer than thirty minutes total.