Tibia Exercises: Tibialis Anterior Training for Balance
As we get older, our muscles tend to get weaker. This is especially true for the ankle joint muscles, which are critical for balance and stability. Strengthening your tibialis anterior muscle can help prevent falls, improve balance, and even reduce pain associated with conditions like arthritis and tendonitis. Maintaining a healthy tibialis anterior muscle is essential for normal exercise routines without pain, as it plays a key role in dorsiflexion, gait stability, and foot mobility. Additionally, strengthening this muscle can help in the prevention of medial tibial stress syndrome, commonly known as shin splints. The best way to strengthen this important muscle group is through specific exercises designed to target it specifically. The following five exercises are easy to perform at home or in the gym:
Single Leg Calf Raises
Single-leg calf raises are a great exercise for strengthening your tibialis anterior muscles. To do this, stand on one leg and raise your other foot off the ground. Then slowly lower yourself down to a point where you feel a good stretch in your calf muscle before raising yourself back up again. You can also try this with both feet on the floor if it feels too difficult at first!
Repeat this exercise 10 times per set, doing 3 sets daily (you’ll want to rest at least 48 hours between each workout). When working out regularly with single-leg calf raises, you should notice improvement within 4 weeks! In addition to single leg calf raises, incorporating a band calf stretch can help in loosening and tightening the tibialis anterior muscle. In addition to strengthening the tibialis anterior muscle, single leg calf raises can help alleviate shin splint pain by improving muscle endurance and reducing strain on the lower leg.
Standing Wall Ankle Inversion/Eversion (calf raises)
Inversion and eversion are terms used to describe the movement of the ankle. Inversion means turning your foot inward, while eversion means turning your foot outward.
You can do these exercises against a wall or on an incline bench with or without weights. The key is to keep your heel on the ground at all times so that you don’t overstretch or strain any part of your lower leg muscles during this exercise routine. Including shin splint stretches in your routine can help prevent and alleviate pain associated with shin splints. These exercises can also help prevent and manage tibialis anterior tendonitis by strengthening the tendon and improving ankle stability.
Wall Ankle Dorsiflexion and Kneeling Tibialis Anterior Stretch
To perform this exercise:
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Stand with your back against a wall and place the balls of your feet flat on the floor.
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Lift up through your heels and point them back toward the ceiling.
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Hold for five seconds before lowering down again.
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Repeat 10 times.
This exercise strengthens the tibialis anterior muscle, located at the front of the shin bone, by making it contract against resistance from gravity during upward ankle movements (dorsiflexion). It also strengthens other muscles involved in maintaining balance, such as flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, and peroneus tertius. Incorporating a tibialis anterior stretch can further enhance the benefits of this exercise by ensuring the muscle is adequately stretched and flexible.
Heel Slides
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Step 1: Find a towel, small weight, or sandbag you can comfortably hold in one hand.
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Step 2: Place the object on the floor and then place your foot on top of it at a 90-degree angle.
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Step 3: Slide your foot back and forth using only the muscles in your lower leg (the tibialis anterior). Keep your ankle aligned with your knee–don’t let it roll inward or outward as you slide back and forth! Hold for 30 seconds before resting for 10 seconds, then repeat this sequence 2 more times in total. For a deeper stretch, try incorporating a kneeling tibialis anterior stretch to target the muscle more effectively.
Calf Raises on an Incline Bench
Calf raises on an incline bench are a great way to strengthen your anterior tibialis muscles and improve ankle stability. You’ll need a bench or step between 4 and 6 inches high (or whatever height is comfortable) to do this exercise.
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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place one foot on top of the bench/step. Your other foot will remain on the floor for balance.
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Raise onto tip-toes with both legs straight until both heels are as high as possible; hold for 3 seconds, then slowly lower yourself back down until both feet are flat on the floor again. Repeat 10 times per leg before switching sides!
Tibialis Anterior Exercises Can Improve Balance
The tibialis anterior muscle is important for walking and balance. It helps you to lift your foot and toes, as well as stabilize the ankle joint. When this muscle weakens, it can cause problems with walking, running, and sports activities like tennis or basketball.
Tibialis anterior exercises can strengthen this muscle and improve balance by improving its strength and endurance to do its job better than before. Incorporating tibialis anterior stretches into your routine can help prevent injuries and improve overall muscle function.
Conclusion
Heel slides are a great way to strengthen your tibialis anterior muscles. If you have ankle pain or weak ankles, try doing heel slides on an incline bench as often as possible. You can also do them at home using a low stool or other object about knee height off the ground. Start out slowly by doing 10 repetitions, then work up until you reach 20 repetitions per set before moving onto another exercise like calf raises or wall ankle inversion/eversion exercises for further strengthening of this area. By regularly performing these exercises, you can help prevent conditions like shin splints and maintain healthy lower leg muscles.
