How To Get Rid Of Shin Splints Overnight?

Now that we know that we are suffering from shin splints, the big question is how to get rid of shin splints overnight. As they are quite debilitating as we have to stop the activity causing them immediately, or otherwise, they will get worse. I will now answer the big question.

How to get rid of shin splints overnight?

Unfortunately, getting rid of shin splints is impossible overnight, but we can do many things to help relieve the pain and make them feel better. We can break this down into treatment, exercises, and foam rolling. I would love to be able to tell you that it is possible, but I always like to be honest. I will look at the treatment options, exercises, and foam rolling in more detail below.

Treatment to get rid of Shin Splints.

The primary treatments for shin splints fall under the headings rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Rest  

Rest is essential when you are suffering from shin splints. Try and refrain from the activity that caused the shin splints until it feels better. Try low-impact exercises such as swimming or cycling while recovering from shin splints.

Ice

Ice the affected shin for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours for three days or longer if required. Always ensure that you place the ice pack into a cloth and never put an ice pack directly on the skin, as this causes frost burn.

Compression

Try wearing a compression sleeve on the affected leg to help relieve any swelling. Just be careful that the compression sleeve is not too tight, as this can cause other issues.

Elevation

While we are icing our shin, try to keep it elevated, which can also help relieve any inflammation around the shin.

Exercises to help get rid of Shin Splints

There are also several exercises that we can do to help alleviate shin splints. I will now look at a few of these.

Step-ups

Place your entire right foot onto the step. Press through your right heel as you step onto the bench, bringing up your left foot to meet your right so that you are standing on the bench. Return to the starting position by stepping down with the right foot, then the left foot, so both feet are on the floor. Complete 15 steps leading with the right foot, then repeat another 15 steps leading with your left foot. Do three sets.

Soleus squats

Lie against the wall and sink to a seated position. Then lift your heels off the ground and hold this position for about 30 seconds. We can then put our heels back on the ground. Repeat 15 times.

Achilles tendon standing stretch

Stand with the feet balls on the surface’s edge using a step. Hold on to something for balance, such as a piece of furniture, gym equipment, or railing.

Let one foot hang off until a person feels a stretch at the back of the leg.

Hold for 20–30 seconds

Change legs

Repeat the exercise as many times per day as possible.

Calf Raises

Stand up straight, then push through the balls of your feet and raise your heel until you are standing on your toes. Then lower slowly back to the start, as this is one of the most straightforward exercises, and we can do it anywhere.

Bent knee calf raises

Bending your knees slightly when doing any calf raises switches the workload from the gastrocnemius – the bigger calf muscle – to the soleus, which might be smaller but is no less important. It is the same as the previous exercise, except we are doing it with our knees bent.

Towel stretch

Sit on the floor with the legs stretched out in front.

Loop a towel or an exercise band around the ball of your foot and pull gently towards the body while keeping the leg straight.

Hold for 25–30 seconds and repeat three times.

Repeat several times each day.

Shin Stretch

Begin in a tall kneeling position with the tops of your feet on the floor. Then, sit back onto your legs until you feel a stretch in your feet, and hold this position for 30 seconds.

Keep your back straight during the exercise. Stretch three times daily, seven days a week, until the pain subsides.

Soleus calf stretch

Stand with your hands against a wall for support.

Place one foot behind you. Keep your feet flat and pointed straight ahead.

Bend your front knee slightly. Then, with your back heel down, bend your back knee if you shorten your stride and find it too hard to keep your heel down.

Hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds. Repeat the stretch 2 or 3 times, and aim to stretch thrice a day.

Foam rolling

Foam rolling can be of great benefit to shin splints. Here’s how to foam roll your shins.

Begin on your hands and knees with the foam roller on the floor underneath your chest. Put your right knee towards your face and place your right shin on the foam roller. Slowly roll up and down your shin, keeping your left leg firmly on the ground to control the pressure; when you find the most painful spot, apply pressure from the roller on this spot. After a few rolls or finding a painful spot, you may need to stop, flex, and extend your ankle before continuing. It is very sore to foam roll shin splints as there is a light layer of skin between the shin and foam roller.

When you have foam rolled the front of your shins, you will also need to foam roll the sides of the shins. So when you are foam rolling the outside of your left shin, lie on your left side and place your right foot on the ground across the front of your left leg as this will help balance and also the amount of pressure that you put on your shin when we are foam rolling. When rolling inside our left leg, we lie on our right side, making it easy to foam roll.

We also need to foam roll our calves to help relieve our shin splints, as shin splints are caused by the imbalance between the muscles at the front of our leg and our calves. We can either roll both our calves together or roll them one by one.

Final Thoughts

I hope you understand why it is impossible when somebody asks how to get rid of shin splints overnight. To help shin splints recover, we need to put a little time and effort into helping them by doing the above exercises, foam rolling, and R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).

I have written a post answering many questions about shin splints.

Related ===> Everything About Shin Splints (30 of your burning questions answered)

Please comment if you have further exercises that help shin splints.