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Toe Circles to Stretch the Tibialis Anterior

When you subject your legs to constant pounding or increase the intensity of your workouts too abruptly, expect your shin muscles to complain. One of those muscles, the tibialis anterior, helps with ankle flexion and inversion, or rotation of the foot toward your body's midline. You can stretch the tibialis anterior, along with other muscles of the shin and calf, with a basic toe circle exercise. Because toe circles are low key and dynamic, you can safely perform them before and after exercise and at various times throughout the day to prevent or treat shin pain.

Firm, stable chair
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Instructions

- 1
  Sit on a firm, stable chair with your feet on the floor in front of you. Straighten your back, press your shoulders down and slightly back and align the top of your head over your spine. Maintain this posture for the duration of the exercise.
- 2
  Extend your right knee, raising your foot off the floor slightly. Relax the thigh and lower leg as you flex the foot, drawing your toes toward your shin.
- 3
  Slowly rotate your toes in a complete circle, moving them to the right, down, left and up. Work slowly and deliberately, maintaining complete control of the movement. Move the foot smoothly and continuously through its full range of motion to ensure that all of the muscles of your lower leg -- including the tibialis anterior -- are involved.
- 4
  Complete five or six slow toe circles to the right and then reverse direction. Beginning with the foot flexed, circle the toes to the left, down, right and up. Complete another set of five or six full rotations.
- 5
  Lower your right leg to the floor and rest briefly. Extend your left knee, raise the foot off the floor and repeat the toe circles in both directions.