Ever felt pain in your legs after a run? Have you ever sprinted after the bus and felt a throbbing in your shins after? Maybe you’re just breaking in a new pair of shoes and your calves are aching. Runners, dancers, people who enjoy walking, pretty much anyone can experience shin splints. Commonly referred to by medical practitioners as medial tibial stress syndrome, shin splints usually happen when muscles, tendons, and bone tissue are overworked due to a change in training routine and intensity.
One of the best ways to alleviate the pain from shin splints is through massage therapy. Hydragun deep tissue massage gun helps with that. One of the benefits of percussion massage guns is they help relieve pain from overloaded tibias and reduce inflammation of the surrounding muscles without the hassle of having to go and schedule a spa session. In part 11 of this series, we show you how to use a deep tissue massage gun on the shin and how massage can help with shin splints.
The deep tissue massage gun attachment heads
Before we go into the actual massage, let’s get to know your tool. The Hydragun deep tissue massage gun comes with 4 regular and 3 stainless steel attachment heads.
In general, we recommend –
· ball head – large muscle groups
· fork head – deeper penetration of medium muscle groups
· bullet head – pinpoint targeting of tight knots
The flat heads (1 regular, 2 stainless steel) are suggested for larger surface areas.
You can use your HYDRAGUN all over the body, from the neck, shoulders, torso, legs and feet.
Using a Deep Tissue Massage Gun on the Shin
The shin bone is located below the knee cap and is also called the tibia. It is one of the major long bones of the legs, along with the thigh bone (femur) and the fibula.
Pain felt along the shin bone, anywhere from the knee to the ankle, is often called a shin splint. The pain is usually caused by inflammation and damage to the connective tissues adjacent to the bone.
What causes shin splints?
· Incorrect or ill-fitting footwear
· Flat feet
· Not stretching before and after workouts
· Weak hips, ankles and core muscles
· Excessive repeated movements without sufficient training
· Overwork
How can you tell if you’re suffering from shin splints? It commonly presents as inner leg pain and tenderness that’s felt during activity. However, in more severe cases, pain can be felt even while at rest.
How can your HYDRAGUN help?
Recommended Attachment Head to Use:
We recommend using the rounded steel head attachment.
You can also use one of the flat heads:
However, we must reiterate that you are also free to use whatever attachment head you feel most comfortable with.
How to:
1. Choose the attachment.
2. Turn the HYDRAGUN on and choose the speed setting.
3. Apply HYDRAGUN to the body.
For shin splint relief:
1. Start by massaging the foot.
2. Gently float the HYDRAGUN around your heel for 10-15 seconds.
3. Move to the balls of the feet and massage for another 10-15 seconds.
4. Finally, massage the arch of your feet for another 10-15 seconds.
5. Move up the side of the leg. Massage for 15-30 seconds.
6. From the side, move the massage gun to the front of the leg and massage the shin directly for another 30 seconds.
After the massage, gently stretch the legs by walking or doing a toes up, heels down movement 10 to 15 times.
Recovery from shin splints can take a few days to a few months, depending on severity of the inflammation. To ensure you’re not making things worse, follow these simple tips:
· Rest the affected leg.
· Couple the massage with light stretching.
· Wear shoes that fit properly.
· Ice the affected area between 4-6 times for 15 minutes.
If the pain continues or gets worse, please see a doctor immediately.
Suffering from pain in other areas? Check out the rest of our muscle recovery series. No HYDRAGUN yet? Don’t miss out on the Future of Recovery. Get HYDRAGUN here.
