Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFunctionProblems That Can OccurTreatments

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Function

Problems That Can Occur

Treatments

The tibialis anterior muscle is the muscle located in the front part of the shin bone of yourlower leg. The muscle courses from an area just below your knee, down the front of your shin, and finally attaches to the top of your foot.Function of the Tibialis Anterior MuscleYour anterior tibialis muscle serves to help flex your ankle and foot off the ground, as occurs when tapping your foot. The muscle also helps to pull your foot in, a motion called inversion. Since the anterior tibial muscle attaches to the top of your foot, it also helps to raise thearch of your foot.Hero Images / Getty ImagesProblems That Can OccurA few different problems can occur with your anterior tibialis muscle that may causefunctional mobilitylimitations.These may include:Shin splintsWeakness in the muscle causing foot drop and ahigh steppage gait patternAnterior tibialis tendonitisIf you have a problem with your anterior tibialis muscle, you may notice pain in your shin, ankle, or foot, or weakness may prevent your anterior tibialis from functioning properly.A visit to your healthcare provider or physical therapist is in order if you suspect anterior tibialis problems, especially those that cause a loss of functional mobility. Your healthcare provider can determine if your shin pain is shin splints or some other problem.An Overview of Shin SplintsTreatmentsA physical therapist may use various treatments to help improve the function and mobility of your anterior tibialis muscle.Typical treatments may include:Anterior tibialis stretchingStrengthening exercisesfor your anterior tibialisKinesiology tapeMassage to the muscleNeuromuscular electrical stimulation to help improve neuromuscular recruitment of your muscleYour anterior tibialis muscle may also become weak if you suffer a sprained ankle orankle fracturethat requires a long period of immobilization.If you are having weakness, pain, or tightness in your lower leg or shin, you may benefit from a visit to your healthcare provider or physical therapist to assess your specific situation. A problem with your anterior tibialis muscle may be a contributing factor to your condition, and your PT can prescribe the correct treatment to help.What Is an Anterior Tibialis Tendon Rupture?

The tibialis anterior muscle is the muscle located in the front part of the shin bone of yourlower leg. The muscle courses from an area just below your knee, down the front of your shin, and finally attaches to the top of your foot.

Function of the Tibialis Anterior Muscle

Your anterior tibialis muscle serves to help flex your ankle and foot off the ground, as occurs when tapping your foot. The muscle also helps to pull your foot in, a motion called inversion. Since the anterior tibial muscle attaches to the top of your foot, it also helps to raise thearch of your foot.

Hero Images / Getty Images

Man placing kinesiology tape on shins

A few different problems can occur with your anterior tibialis muscle that may causefunctional mobilitylimitations.

These may include:

If you have a problem with your anterior tibialis muscle, you may notice pain in your shin, ankle, or foot, or weakness may prevent your anterior tibialis from functioning properly.

A visit to your healthcare provider or physical therapist is in order if you suspect anterior tibialis problems, especially those that cause a loss of functional mobility. Your healthcare provider can determine if your shin pain is shin splints or some other problem.

An Overview of Shin Splints

A physical therapist may use various treatments to help improve the function and mobility of your anterior tibialis muscle.

Typical treatments may include:

Your anterior tibialis muscle may also become weak if you suffer a sprained ankle orankle fracturethat requires a long period of immobilization.

If you are having weakness, pain, or tightness in your lower leg or shin, you may benefit from a visit to your healthcare provider or physical therapist to assess your specific situation. A problem with your anterior tibialis muscle may be a contributing factor to your condition, and your PT can prescribe the correct treatment to help.

What Is an Anterior Tibialis Tendon Rupture?

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Shin Splints.Donec V, Kubilius R.The effectiveness of Kinesio Taping® for pain management in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2019;11:1759720X1986913. doi:10.1177/1759720x19869135Pieber K, Herceg M, Paternostro-Sluga T, Schuhfried O.Optimizing stimulation parameters in functional electrical stimulation of denervated muscles: a cross-sectional study.J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015;12:51. doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0046-0American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program.

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Shin Splints.Donec V, Kubilius R.The effectiveness of Kinesio Taping® for pain management in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2019;11:1759720X1986913. doi:10.1177/1759720x19869135Pieber K, Herceg M, Paternostro-Sluga T, Schuhfried O.Optimizing stimulation parameters in functional electrical stimulation of denervated muscles: a cross-sectional study.J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015;12:51. doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0046-0American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Shin Splints.Donec V, Kubilius R.The effectiveness of Kinesio Taping® for pain management in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2019;11:1759720X1986913. doi:10.1177/1759720x19869135Pieber K, Herceg M, Paternostro-Sluga T, Schuhfried O.Optimizing stimulation parameters in functional electrical stimulation of denervated muscles: a cross-sectional study.J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015;12:51. doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0046-0American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Shin Splints.

Donec V, Kubilius R.The effectiveness of Kinesio Taping® for pain management in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2019;11:1759720X1986913. doi:10.1177/1759720x19869135

Pieber K, Herceg M, Paternostro-Sluga T, Schuhfried O.Optimizing stimulation parameters in functional electrical stimulation of denervated muscles: a cross-sectional study.J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015;12:51. doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0046-0

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program.

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