Step 2
The Clinical Problem
The tibialis anterior runs down the front of the shin and lifts the foot with every step. Walking on the ball of the foot, avoiding heel contact, a rolled ankle or plain overuse fatigue it until it locks in spasm. In spasm it aches along the shin, pulls the foot into a position that rolls the ankle again, and compresses the superficial and deep peroneal nerves that supply the outside of the shin and the top and outside of the foot. Shin splints, repeated ankle sprains, outer foot pain, calf cramps and tingling or numbness across the top of the foot are the result. Releasology releases the tibialis anterior and the shin-foot complex directly, restoring the flexibility of the whole outer line of the leg.
What this release relieves
- Shin splints. The ache down the front of the shin is the tibialis anterior in spasm pulling on its attachment along the bone. It eases as the muscle releases.
- Frequent ankle rolling and inversion sprains. A tibialis anterior in spasm holds the foot turned in, so the ankle rolls again and again. Release it and the foot lands flat.
- Pain on the outside of the shin, ankle and foot. The peroneal nerves run beside this muscle; in spasm it compresses them and the outer shin and foot hurt, tingle or go numb.
- Tingling, numbness or weakness across the top of the foot and toes. That is the deep peroneal nerve under compression. Sensation and strength return as the pressure comes off.
- Instability and difficulty balancing. A foot that cannot adapt to the ground because its muscles are locked cannot balance. Stability returns with the release.
- Calf cramps and painful stiffness along the side of the body. The shin-foot complex is the bottom of the lateral line. Releasing it frees tension the whole way up the side.
A client may presents with: dorsal and/or lateral foot, ankle and/or shin pain. It may be accompanied by instability and difficulty balancing, pain on the outside of shin and foot, shin splints and/or commonly occurring calf cramps.
They may also have:
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frequent ankle rolling (inversion sprains)
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difficulty balancing
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outer foot tightness
They may say:
👉 “I have shin-splints, dorsal and lateral foot pain”
👉 “I keep rolling my ankle
”Key Insight"
:👉 The tibialis anterior contains the passage for the superficial and deep peroneal nerve, causing extreme compression of these nerves when it is in spams. The peronal nerves supply the tibialis anterior, the peroneal muscles, the dorsal foot muscles and the abductor digiti minimi. Release it first, and then the others can be released.
The discomfort may increase while walking.
The most common cause of this pattern begins with spasm of the tibialis anterior. This causes the other spasms, though these other spasms can also be caused by direct fatigue. Whatever the cause, the tibialis anterior needs to be released first.
When these muscle becomes tight, they cause pain, tingling, numbness and weakness in the shin, lateral shin, top of foot and outside of the foot and toes.
Releasing the dorsal and lateral shin and foot muscles restores normal flexibility to the dorsal and lateral shin and foot and eliminates the tension responsible for this pain pattern.
Frequently asked questions
I keep spraining the same ankle. Is it just weak?
Usually it is the tibialis anterior in spasm holding the foot turned inward, so every uneven step rolls it. Strengthening a muscle that is already in spasm does not help; releasing it does.
Are shin splints a bone problem?
The pain is at the bone, but the pull comes from the muscle attached to it. Release the muscle and the bone stops being pulled on.
Why is the top of my foot numb?
The deep peroneal nerve passes under the tibialis anterior on its way to the top of the foot. A muscle in spasm compresses it. Releasing the muscle frees the nerve.
Step 3
Why This Happens
The dorsal-lateral shin and foot chain lifts the outside of the foot. This movement is called eversion. They also dorsi-flexes the foot and toes. When one walks on the ball of their foot too much, avoiding contact with the heel, a pressure receptor within the heel is not stimulated. This receptor needs compression in order to send a signal to the spine telling the tibialis anterior to relax. This scenario, many times is how shin-splints and lateral shin pain begin. It is also possible to strain these muscles by rolling the ankle.
It starts with the tibialis anterior. The deep and superficial peroneal nerves pass through the tibialis anteriors origin - the interosseus membrane spanning the space between the tibia and fibula bones. This membrane contains the deep peroneal nerve, and even the superficial peroneal nerve is compressed when the tibialis anterior is in spasm. Obviosly, it needs to be released prior to releasing the otehr muscles in this modality.
The muscles innervated by the peroneal nerves after they pass through the tibialis anterior include:
Peroneus longus
Peroneus brevis
Peroneus tertius
Extensor digitorum longus
Extensor digitorum brevis
Extensor hallucis longus
Extensor hallucis brevis
Another muscle that can cause pain on the lateral foot is the abductor digiti minimi. This muscle and the peroneus muscles are the end of the gall bladder fascial chain, in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda (gall bladder portion of Pingala Nadi). When these muscles are tight, it makes it hard to breath and painful stiffness usually connect it up the side of the body, along the gall bladder channel. Releasing this part of the foot and shin release the entire side of the body.
When fatigued:
👉 the muscles spasm
This leads to:
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pain and weakness in the dorsal-lateral foot and shin
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weakness with eversion
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restricted range with inversion
Key Pattern
👉 tight dorsal and lateral structures + weak control
= unstable ankle, foot and shin-splints