Shin Splints Exercises at Desk for Busy Runners

So you’ve recently begun experiencing shin splints while running.  You know you need to perform exercises to strengthen the muscles around your shin.  The problem is when you can't fit it into your busy schedule.  Between work, errands for your significant other, and taking care of your kids it is almost impossible to fit in rehabilitation exercises to help heal your shin splints.  

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could somehow perform your shin splint exercises at your desk while you are working?  Look no further.  

Understanding the Causes of Shin Splints for Runners is vital before diving into exercises.

Here, we provide a program that busy runners can perform from their desks, targeting the key muscles involved in shin splints.

Items You Will Need to Perform This Exercise Program:

Exercise Parameters:

How Often Should I Perform These Exercises?

You should perform these exercises 1 time a day.  

How Many Repetitions Should I Perform?

While I could throw an arbitrary number out there for how many repetitions you need to perform, I want to take a different approach.  You will perform the exercise to fatigue.  

You should get to around 20 repetitions of each.  Aim for higher repetitions because we are trying to work the muscles like they are working while running.  Running is an endurance exercise, with around 2,000 steps in 1 mile.  

Any exercise listed as a stretch holds for 30-60 seconds.

How Many Sets Should I Perform Each Exercise For?

Perform each of the exercises for 3 rounds or sets.  This is an appropriate amount of sets to get our desired muscular endurance strengthening.

Exercises for Shin Splints at Desk:

1. Seated Toe Raises 

Calf weakness has been related to an increased risk of shin splints.  This makes sense to strengthen the calf muscles. 

The action of the calf muscles is to point the toes downward.  This is important in running because it allows you to propel your body forward and to absorb force. 

Remember shin splints are caused by poor force absorption while running.  By strengthening your calves you will be able to absorb better the forces caused with every stride while running decreasing the forces through the shin and therefore decreasing the amount of force through the shin.

Toe raises will strengthen the calve muscles.  Traditionally this exercise is performed while standing. However, these are exercises you can perform at your desk at work so to fit the theme of “shin splint exercises at the desk” we will be performing them while seated. 

You can still strengthen the calves while seated, you will just need to perform more repetitions because you do not have your full body weight as resistance. 

The best part is performing more repetitions is more beneficial for runners.  Think about running, it is an endurance exercise. For every mile you run, you take around 2,000 steps.  That’s 2,000 times your calves have to contract for every mile you run. 

To Perform Seated Toe Raises:

First, make sure your shoes are off.  Shoes decrease the amount of muscle recruitment and do not allow for the maximal strengthening of this exercise. 

Once your shoes are off simply raise your heels off the ground as high as you can.  

You should feel this exercise in your calves.

2. Seated Heel Raises 

The Anterior Tibialis muscle is another important muscle while running. This muscle is located in the front of your shins.  Its purpose is to lift your toes toward your shin.  While running it helps to absorb force.  

A strong anterior tibialis muscle can greatly decrease the amount of stress traveling through your shin bone while running decreasing your chances of shin splints or helping you heal your shin splints. 

How To Perform Seated Heel Raises: 

To start your shoes will be off and feet flat on the floor.  You will then lift your toes off the ground as far as you can. You should feel the muscle in the front of your shin contracting, along with your toes being pulled upwards. 

Band Exercises for Shin Splints at Desk

3. Banded Ankle Eversion 

3. Banded Ankle Eversion 

With this next exercise, you will be working on the muscles on the outside of the foot.  There are three muscles this exercise will work.  They are: 

• fibularis longus

• fibularis brevis

• fibularis tertius.

Together these muscles help to pull your foot out away from your body.  They play an important role in a healthy ankle.  

How To Perform Banded Ankle Eversion: 

Before you start this exercise you will need to have a band.  Simply tie the band together at the ends so it creates a loop.  Place this band around both your feet.  The band should be located at the base of the little toe.  The band should be taught at the starting position.

At the starting position, your feet should be facing straight ahead of you.  You will then move the foot you want to work outwards pivoting on your heel.  The other foot will remain flat on the floor and should not move. 

If you want to work your right ankle evertors you will move your right foot outward pivoting on the heel while the left foot remains flat on the ground. 

You should feel the muscles outside your shin contract if you perform this exercise correctly. 

At the end of the movement, your foot should be turned out as far as possible, while pivoting on the heel.  The base of your toes should remain off of the ground.

4. Banded Ankle Inversion 

The next exercise is the opposite of banded ankle eversion.  This movement will work the muscles that invert or move your foot toward your body.  

These muscles are important in ankle health and affect ankle stability. They also help to form the arch of the foot. 

How To Perform Banded Ankle Inversion: 

You will need a theraband tied at the ends to form a loop.  You will also need a place where you can tie the band.  I suggest tying the band around the foot of your desk.  

Next slide your foot inside of the band.  The band should be positioned at the base of the big toe. 

From here you will pivot the foot on the heel towards the body, turning the foot inward.  Think of pulling your foot inward and upward.  

At the end of the movement, your little toe should be parallel to the ground.

Note:  The picture above shows someone performing this exercise with the band shut in a door.  Replace the door with the leg of your desk.   It still gives a visual on how the exercise is to be performed.

5. Banded Ankle Dorsiflexion

The next exercise will also work the ankle dorsiflexion (the muscles that pull your toes off the floor) as the seated toe raises.  The main ankle dorsiflexor is the tibialis anterior.  I have already touched upon the importance of the tibialis anterior for running and decreasing your risk of shin splints as a runner. 

This exercise will be harder than toe raises. However, you should feel it in the same muscle in the front of your shin.   

How To Perform Banded Ankle Dorsiflexion: 

You will need a looped band for this exercise.  

Put the looped band around both of your feet so it is snug.  Then simply lift the toes up off the ground. 

Note:  The picture above shows the person performing the exercise without a looped band.  Once again I prefer a looped band but it does not make a difference.  Use your own preference here.

Foot Coordination Exercises for Shin Splints at Desk

6. Foot Doming

Foot doming works the foot's intrinsic muscles.  You have 10 muscles in the sole of your foot that help the plantar fascia ligament form the foot arch.  

Strong foot intrinsic muscles can help form a strong arch which is essential for absorption of force while running.  A strong arch is important because Shin Splints and Flat Feet are linked together. 

The other thing this exercise does is help with the coordination of your foot.  If you have not tried this exercise, you probably won’t believe how hard it can be on a coordination level.  

A runner could have the strongest foot intrinsic muscles in the world. However, if they can not use them properly it doesn't matter. 

How To Perform Foot Doming: 

For this exercise, all you need is to take your shoes off.  

With your foot flat on the ground try and raise your arch. If you have a well-coordinated foot with strong foot intrinsic muscles you should be able to raise your arch without moving your toes. Most runners will only be able to do this with plenty of practice.

Therefore, if you can not lift the arch of your foot without moving your toes, you can modify this exercise.  Instead of just trying to raise your arch, squeeze your toes on the floor.  Think about trying to pull the floor to your heel.  You should notice your arch raises. 

The ultimate goal is to have well-coordinated and strong foot intrinsic muscles, where you can perform an arch raise without moving your toes.

7. Big Toe Coordination 

Think of your big toe as the thumb of your hand.  You would only swing a hammer with your thumb on the handle.  The same can be said about running.  When you run you should be pushing off and absorbing force with your big toe.  

It is a common mistake I see in many runners, and with a little work on big toe coordination you can begin to use your big toe while you run.  

Using your big toe while you run can improve your speed, improve your ability to absorb force, and improve your running economy.  

It is a very overlooked function in running.

How To Perform Big Toe Coordination Exercises:

You will start with your foot flat on the ground and shoes off.  Then without moving your other toes try and lift just your big toe off the ground. This comes easily for some runners, and for others, it takes a lot of practice. If you are the latter just be patient and work diligently on this. 

Then do the opposite.  Try and press your big toe into the ground, once again without using your other toes. Once again this can be very hard for some and easy for others. 

The next exercise will focus on moving your big toe away from your foot.  This one tends to be more challenging than moving the big toe up and down.  Once again, I want you to try to isolate the big toe, meaning the other toes should remain in the same place.  Work patiently on this movement.

Stretches for Shin Splints at Desk

8. Gastroc Stretch

The next exercise is a stretch for your calves or gastroc muscles.  Tight gastrocs can lead to poor running mechanics along with poor force absorption.  The Gastroc Stretch is integral, especially for those with Tight Calves leading to Shin Splints.

How To Perform the Gastroc Stretch: 

Once again, your shoes will need to be taken off for this exercise.  What you will do is straighten your knee and prop your toes against the back of your desk or the wall. 

You should feel a stretch in the back of your leg if you perform the exercise correctly. 

Because this is a stretch, you need to hold this position for 30 seconds, and perform 3 rounds of this.

Note:  The picture above shows an alternate way to perform a seated gastroc stretch.  With this method you will need a towel or belt.  Place the towel or belt at the base of your toes and with your knee straight pull up on your foot.  Either variation of this exercise will work.  I find it easier and more convenient to place your toes on a wall. 

9. Soleus Stretch

This exercise focuses on stretching the soleus muscle.  The soleus muscle is one of the 2 calve muscles, is is most commonly overlooked.  

Like a tight gastroc muscle, a tight soleus muscle can lead to poor running mechanics and poor force absorption leading to shin splints. 

How To Perform The Soleus Stretch: 

Shoes off to start.  You will also need a book for this exercise, the book needs to be thick enough for you to feel the stretch so you may need to experiment on your part. 

To position yourself for this stretch sit up tall with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.  Place your toes on top of the book and let your heels fall towards the ground.  

If you are performing the exercise correctly you will feel the stretch in the back of the leg. 

Once again because this is a stretch you will need to hold this position for at least 30 seconds and perform 3 rounds.

Note:  The picture above shows an alternate way to perform a seated soleus stretch.  For this variation sit up tall and bend your knee keeping your heel flat on the floor.  You should still be able to feel the stretch in the back of you leg.  Both exercises work the same way and can be used per your preference.

10. Anterior Tibialis Stretch

The final exercise will be to stretch the anterior tibialis muscle located on the front of your shin.  This muscle is usually where the pain from shin splints is located and can give runners suffering from shin splints some relief.  

By stretching this muscle, you decrease the amount of pull on the shin to help alleviate your shin splints as a runner.

How To Perform The Anterior Tibialis Stretch: 

You will need to have your shoes off.  Sit up tall in your chair and point your foot downward. Roll your toes underneath your foot by lifting your heel off the ground.  Your toes should be in contact with the ground.  

Stop when you feel a stretch in the front of the shin.

Once again because this is a stretch you will need to hold this position for at least 30 seconds and perform 3 rounds.

Note:  Yes the picture above the person is performing this stretch standing.  It can also be performed seated.  The picture above still gives you a good idea of how to curl your toes under your foot.  

Additional Resources

For runners who frequently use treadmills, understanding how to Avoid Shin Splints on Treadmill is crucial. Additionally, using KT Tape for Shin Splints can offer extra support during recovery.

If your shin splints are persistent, it's important to explore further with resources like When Shin Splints Won't Go Away and understand How Long Do Shin Splints Last?

Running with Shin Splints

Conclusion: 

Shin splints are a common injury in runners.  It is also just as common for runners to not have time to correctly rehabilitate their body.  I designed this exercise program to be able to be performed at your desk while your at work, giving you time to perform rehab exercises for your shin splints.  

I will say these are very basic exercises as they all can be performed at the desk.  If you are correctly modifying your activity and do not see any improvement in your shin splints after around 4 weeks you should consider making time for a more involved shin splint rehabilitation program for runners. 

CopyWriting Note: All pictures of exercises used in this article were from HEP2Go.  This is a great resource for all physical therapist to create home exercise programs for their patients.