Rolling a Bottle on My Shins

[ForeverFiending]

Of course I've heard of kickboxers and Muay Thai people rolling objects on their shins to condition them. I thought it was just to toughen tissues and ruin pain receptors, but I learned it is more beneficial. I have shin issues, still recovering from it, and have been seeing two physical therapists for a while. My swelling was horrible, but it's pretty much gone now.

Anyways, I asked both of them individually about this method of conditioning the shins and they BOTH said... "That's actually not a bad idea." Not because of toughening tissues and killing nerves (although it does that too), but because rolling would help lay the muscle fibers down, prevent edema (fluid build-up), and smooth the tendons. I believe this would help me tremendously because since my swelling is under control I have been getting those deep, painful massages to seperate the fibers and move the fluid. They said to keep the rolling around the bone, but I think it doesn't matter.

So, I checked it out because some seem to think it's a stupid idea (on this forum) but I've heard all those who I consider credible are for it. I'm sold, and I'm about finished with my bottle of wine, so that will be my tool.

 

[Evil Eye Gouger]

I've never rolled anything on my shins, so take it with a grain of salt. All my conditioning comes from either sparring or kicking things.

Rolling things on your shin is considered bad by most people because it kills nerves, but doesn't result in the calcification of the bone which makes it more resistant to kicks. Pain is actually an important signal from your body.

What your physios are talking about is something different, I think.

The "shin conditioning" method of rolling things on your shin involves heavy rolling directly on the bone. What they are recommending is a gentle massage by rolling it on your muscles.

 

[MAILMAN]

Just kick metal beams

 

[irish_street]

Just kick metal beams

im not that hardcore yet but i'd say just kick 4x4s that hold up like outside of houses. just dont kick the corners lol

 

[InternetMonster]

Dont roll bottle unless you want to mess up your shin in the future

 

[krellik]

Its an shortcut that will lead to injuries in the long run and martial arts are not about that type of shortcuts.

If you want to do thaiboxing without shinguards you need to kick pads and bags hundred of times each day without shinguards.

 

[ForeverFiending]

I've never rolled anything on my shins, so take it with a grain of salt. All my conditioning comes from either sparring or kicking things.

Rolling things on your shin is considered bad by most people because it kills nerves, but doesn't result in the calcification of the bone which makes it more resistant to kicks. Pain is actually an important signal from your body.

What your physios are talking about is something different, I think.

The "shin conditioning" method of rolling things on your shin involves heavy rolling directly on the bone. What they are recommending is a gentle massage by rolling it on your muscles.

I'm going to do it because the painful massages they have been giving me has been very effective in helping me heal. They said to work it around the bone, and no, they don't mean gentle, they are not gentle with me, I have bruises from their massages. It hurts like crazy, but afterwards I feel great.

My point that most of you are not getting, probably because I didn't explain myself well, is that the rolling thing IS beneficial. My guess is that some people think it helps just because it makes your shins "though", but I'm trying to say that the benefits of rolling is not that, but keeping your legs from going to hell like mine did. I think that some people do this and don't realize that they are really smoothing out the muscles and tendons, and preventing fluid build-up. They might be doing it because they heard about it, but don't know why.

Not everyone has shin problems, we are all designed differently, and I think I will always have problems with my shins unless I take what I learned from therapy and do these things at home. Using a bottle after a good workout may very well prevent me from pooling fluid in the future. I'll never be able to kick bags again if I can't get the swelling under control.

But just out of the sake of learning, why would rolling ruin your legs?

I think that kicking kills the nerves, and that rolling is going to prevent inflamation... I have a hard time explaining myself!

 

[InvictusVeritas]

I roll bottles down my shins, it works well, and for whatever reason my kicking power has increased.

In all honesty I also use a section of telephone pole also.

Same result.

 

[Body Count]

I get why you're doing it, not for shin conditioning but for rubbing the knot out to promote healing. Not anything revolutionary really...



I think other than kicking the thai bag, the best way of conditioning your shins is hitting it with rope...thats what we do and it works awesomely. Some people even hit it with rolled up wet towels too, that seems to work fine as well.

 

[Evil Eye Gouger]

Could you describe this wet towel technique?

Like, do you sit down, where do you hold the towel, do you hit your shins yourself or does someone else do it, etc...

 

[Body Count]

Could you describe this wet towel technique?

Like, do you sit down, where do you hold the towel, do you hit your shins yourself or does someone else do it, etc...

If I remember right, someone posted a video of it a while ago, it's nearly the same thing we do. Let me try and find it...


EDIT: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rV0NoZ1PBkc


We usually have someone else temper them for you though, it gets fairly hard to hit them hard enough yourself after a while.

 

[Evil Eye Gouger]

If I remember right, someone posted a video of it a while ago, it's nearly the same thing we do. Let me try and find it...

EDIT: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rV0NoZ1PBkc

Thanks.

We usually have someone else temper them for you though, it gets fairly hard to hit them hard enough yourself after a while.

Yeah, that's what I was worried about.

I'll give it a try, I guess.

 

[xinster]

the (well-trusted) guys on here all seem to say that rolling is bad. I'm sure it has good short-term effects otherwise why would anyone have done it in the first place? I just don't think its a smart idea to go against the grain on this one, where im putting my health on the line. Might as well kick the bags and get some technique and gas in too. no shortcuts

 

[Josh Nordin]

"no shortcuts"
The smartest thing ever said about Muay Thai.

 

[P-Town BeatDown]

Yeah I definitely think the main argument against it (at least mine anyway) is that you will most likely end up kicking harder than your shin is actually conditioned to do, which can cause major problems down the road. It would be pretty easy to over do it with no pain to tell you to stop, which can lead to micro-fractures and, eventually, major breaks if hit at the right spot. Obviously this is not a garaunteed outcome, just a possibility. But why take the chance.

For what you are talking about it makes sense what the doctors are saying. Its just probably not a good idea for the "I want to kick hard right away without fear of pain" guy.

Did you ask them if it is a good method for conditioning the shins against constant impact or did they just say it is a good idea for the thearaputic reasons you mentioned?

 

[blackriceman]

are they real doctors or just therapists

 

[animonk]

please stop. just do normal training methods to condition your shins

 

[MikeMartial]

I'm going to do it because the painful massages they have been giving me has been very effective in helping me heal. They said to work it around the bone, and no, they don't mean gentle, they are not gentle with me, I have bruises from their massages. It hurts like crazy, but afterwards I feel great.

What your are describing is basically a form of self-myofascial release; a thread with links describing can be found here.

I have no doubt it will help with edema, fascial loosening and prevent scar tissue build up; I'm dealing with an inflamed soleus + plantar fasciitis at the moment, and have started rolling it. If I can make a suggestion, it may be helpful to roll with a frozen rolling pin, and only in an upward direction (from ankle to knee). Personally, I've found a frozen golf ball and lacrosse ball to be helpful with my PF issue.

That being said, I have the same opinion as most regarding actual shin conditioning, though.

 

[m0n0xide]

i just kick the bag. works fine for me.

 

[InvictusVeritas]

For what is worth Jeremey and Pat suggested I do it (roll bottles - ribbed coke bottles to be specific) has worked for them, seems to work for me. Regardless do it how you want.