Tibialis Anterior Activation with No Equipment (Great for Home Exercise Programs)

[@ravenel2]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this! I have mild CP, and well-meaning adults, doctors, therapists, swimming instructors, gym teachers, etc., never told me anything about activating something called an anterior Tibialis. Sadly, all most people do is get patronizing, uncomfortable, and/or dismissive when they see that a CP kid cannot do something, so children may not be given the specific information or the encouragement to take control of their own healing and fix even normal tightness in their own bodies. So I am finally figuring all this out many decades later thanks to KZbin. This is another piece of the puzzle. I can walk five miles and do hours a week on a stair master, but I cannot curl my toes under like this, so I am exploring alternate ways to activate the anterior tib. If I am stretching my gastrocnemius-soleus muscles by standing on the bottom rung of a three-rung household stepladder, I seem to feel the anterior tib in front. If I stand a few feet from the stove with my hands on the oven door and bend over at the waist, stretching my hamstring muscles, I seem to be able to move a leg around until I’m feeling the anterior tib in front. Same with stretching my leg out straight on a step and working to pull my toes back-I believe I can feel the anterior tib working around my shin. But here’s something interesting. I have never been able to sit on the floor with my legs absolutely straight in front of me, which I always attributed to weak stomach muscles. But I just read that the inability to sit like this is due to tight hamstrings-again, no one ever bothered to tell a CP kid. So I’m stretching my hamstrings to the point where I can just about sit upright with my legs stretched out straight, and I’m trying to bring my torso forward and squeezing my stomach muscles with a power I never knew they had. Total joy. But when I do this, I’m also trying to pull my feet back towards me as hard as I can, and it seems to me that I can feel the anterior tib working. It makes sense that the anterior tib would help you to sit upright on the floor with your legs out straight, but maybe able-bodied people just take this for granted? Hope this helps someone and here’s to an activated anterior tib!

[@opandao2105]

Not a single person liked this comment you put so much time into it😭

[@JenntheGeek]

Me too... mild CP. Foam rolling and strength training has been very beneficial to healing an aggravated hip. I have been looking for exercises too to help train my feet to not drop and drag. Really need to work on loosening up my shin and calf muscles as something is so tight in my right leg my foot rotates out and highly pronated compared to the left. Good luck on your journey too!

[@franklyntrades9]

❤

[@trnj467]

My focus 100 % at explanation

[@rc198028]

Your videos are fantastic.

[@BrookbushInstitute]

Appreciate it!

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Thanks so much

[@BrookbushInstitute]

You're welcome!

[@Drewdownkali]

What modifications would you make for someone who needs ant. Tib. Activation but is pes cavus?

[@SyRyanYang]

I think it's easier to ask them to grab and hold something with their toes, rather than just curling their toes.

[@latalabhsetwar3796]

very good instructions, I really liked it Helpful to do do at home myself., Thank you.

[@aaronoyster9627]

Maybe I misheard, but if the EDL "contributes" to ankle dorsiflexion (what the anterior tibialis's primary function is), then WHY would we want to shut it off by curling the toes?!

[@NomSauce]

I'm assuming the EDL is suppose to be able to flex without fully flexing your toes upwards. Think about when you walk, when your foot strikes the ground. If the tibialis and EDL could only flex (and or flex hard enough) when your toes are pointing upwards, it would mean that each time your foot hits the ground, all your toes have to flex upwards. The point of curling the toes down is to train the ligaments and muscles on a memory level to flex on their own. Walking is the simple example, this function is more crucial when it comes to squatting down or sprinting, as your knees will travel past your toes in these instances. It is then crucial that all your toes can be planted into the ground, while still mantaining the ability to both hold a (for squat) static and (for running) dynamic flex of the tibialis. So that you can retain balance and control with your foot (main role of the toes), whilst allowing the tibialis to keep your knees stable and strong during the step or squat. This becomes especially important for people who learn to run at higher levels where they tend to strike the ground with the ball of their foot rather than the heel.

[@sipe9316]

Does it help with mobility?

[@bigpawpyfromabove7925]

What's good a amount of reps and sets for beginners?

[@ayeshashoaib7120]

Can someone try this exercise who recently got tibia shaft fracture and treated with Intramedullary Nail Rod?

[@gerb68]

How soon after initial diagnosis of Tibialis Anterior should activation begin. Should swelling decrease first or can you begin activation techniques straight away. Some say Rest, Ice, Compression and possibly Elevation. Are these necessary?

[@louiseboyd8896]

My grandson is 20 years old. He had a fast growing tumor around his right knee removed. Soon after he had emergency surgery to remove the anterior tibialis muscle due to a ruptured artery. The surgeon did some sort of connecting of remaining areas. Looks like permanent damage. Going to be a lawsuit bc hospital was negligent. Can physical therapy help to offset the lack of function. As of now he can't raise his foot. Only downward and side to side. Surgeon said reconstructive surgeries are needed. The staff ignored my grandson's cries for help. Are there graphs? Please help with some insight.

[@davidjenny9472]

Brent, is this helpful for tendinosis of the anterior tibialis tendon? I've had pain and swelling for seven months. Diagnosis was made by MRI. Previously unresponsive to PT. Icing helps the pain but only short term. Thanks

[@BrookbushInstitute]

Hey David JENNY, Potentially, although you need to work on calf extensibility, as well as ankle mobility and transverse tarsal joint mobility. This would be an additional technique to aid in rehab in conjunction with mobility techniques. Dr. B2

[@peat5102]

Hey brand loving your videos. Ive got hard problem with foot external rotation and knee inwards, dorsiflexion is nearly totally blooked. heel bone is strait but my foot more and more collapsing if i try to use your tibialis exercises. I dont know maybe my forefoot supinates...cant find some therapist/trainer to help me.

[@hamseadnan6735]

It seems easy exercise but I found this exercise difficult !! does that means that my Tibialis is weak ?. Thank you really I appreciate this video

[@mmike996]

Very informative video!!! Could I also incorporate exercises like towel scrunches to address pes planus issues? Any benefit to address posterior tibialis as well? And do you have any corrective exercise videos that address pes anserine issues??

[@BrookbushInstitute]

Yes, yes and yes. Tibialis Posterior Activation - brentbrookbush.com/articles/corrective-exercise-articles/activation/tibialis-posterior-activation/ Pes Anserine (Tibial Internal Rotator Activation) - brentbrookbush.com/articles/corrective-exercise-articles/activation/tibial-internal-rotator-activation/ You could do towel scrunches, although they should likely be done with "straight toes" or IPs in extension. This is tough, but based on the compensatory changes in muscle activity and length, we want to focus on the short toe flexors to improve pes planus. Dr. B2

[@JV-ty6iv]

Hey, does this help for osgood schlatter?

[@BC-tw6vv]

Brent thanks nice videos.

[@BrookbushInstitute]

We do our best ;-) Dr. B2

[@johnruss9660]

Great work

[@Natsu1uzu]

When i do the toe curls my toes knuckles hurt. I can’t do it 😫 idk why it hurt

[@rootsofcalm4547]

Nice work

[@BrookbushInstitute]

Thank you Manzoor. Hope you will take a moment to check out the website... BrentBrookbush.com Dr. B2

[@wenhaosu8242]

Brent, when I teach my friend to do this exercise, it is very very hard for him to flex his toes. Do you have any advice for improvement?

[@BrookbushInstitute]

If you can perform manual techniques FHL, FDL, EHL and EDL release, as well as toe mobilization are usually helpful. if this is not a possibility you may try doing some gentle toe stretching and towel scrunches before working your way up the chain to this exercise. Dr. B2

[@wenhaosu8242]

Brent Brookbush Thanks, Brent!

[@Jknudsen0523]

So many words, I need an ELI5

[@amydiorio3583]

can't see feet in video!! and words are over it

[@ravenel2]

I cannot curl my toes under like this at all, but I seem to be achieving the same effect with shoes on by standing on the bottom rung of a three-rung household stepladder that is against my kitchen window and my fingers are curled over the edge of the middle sill to hang on. I’m stretching my gastrocnemius-soleus muscles, but if I actively squeeze the foot as I’m doing so, I seem to feel the anterior tib in front of my shin. Hope that helps someone (I have mild CP, see comment below.)

[@ravenel2]

*Stepladder meaning a stable folding wooden stepladder with open air so my toes are out in space as I try to flex them. I get why this wouldn’t work on an ordinary step that supports the toes.

[@rachkate76]

Sexy shins? 😮😕😑😂 I'm flat footed with childhood bunions and pronate- thanks for another helpful video and one I can do at home independently.

[@josiahpierce2906]

1:42 I got scared that I had forgotten the English language

[@shannonrush1299]

Please move the dialogue box away from her feet. It is blocking the view you are instructing. Good video but please make tweet.

[@Randy-li4ke]

Why don't you talk in English terms nobody knows all that technical jargon you're talking way too much I think what you've got is good but you're killing it with all the talk

[@jeremycorse8967]

Ahem…. FOR FREE?? 😋😋😋

[@gracemostek1976]

I’m not very good with technical terms lol

[@davidjenny9472]

DJ

[@Hugh_Jasol]

I guess this is for people who rarely workout? Because this isn't doing anything for anyone that goes to a gym.

[@dylanfan1941]

Wow. What an asinine comment. You obviously have zero training and no very little about how the human body works or muscle imbalances.

[@oliverdebattista4812]

@@Hugh_Jasol unnecessary abuse grow up !

[@deand.l.2049]

Hugh Jasol Are you stupid? Just because you go to the gym to workout doesn’t mean your working out this specific part of your lower leg. Just because you go to the gym doesn’t mean you are correcting muscle imbalances either. Take a physical education course for fucks sake.

[@ryannachtrab]

I dont know dude, I just did this and got a pretty good pump in my tibialis anterior lol give it a try!

[@ethankonoza]

Hugh Jasol This is simply an activation exercise for the tibialis anterior. You go through your assessment process and identify which muscles are overactive and underactive you can then appropriately address the muscle imbalances with corrective exercises. Inhibiting and lengthening the tight overactive muscles, activating the underactive muscles (through exercises such as this) and then integrating them back into functional movement patterns through multijoint/multiplanar exercises. There is no need for the hostility.