Gastrocnemius Muscle pain(Exercise help)

[acatalina]

This if i am right is the name for the front muscle below the knee.
Or in between the front knee and ankle.
When i am doing heavy step or jumps this really shoots a pain.Like in imax 3.
Is there an exercise to strengthen it or a certain stretch to make it more flexible?
Anne

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941

 

[kathryn]

Sounds like the tibialis anterior (the "front shin" muscle--gastrocnemius is one of the two calf muscles, the other being the soleus). Cathe does some tibialis work with the stability ball in some of her workouts: sit with straight legs, with the stability ball on your lower legs, holding it against your toes. Then push against the ball as you pull in with your toes (if you were standing, you would be lifting your toes). That strengthens the tibialis. To stretch, do a standing (or lying (quad stretch, and point your toe, holding on at the top of the foot.

You may have shin splints, which are a common overuse problem when you do a lot of jumping your body isn't used to (especially on a hard surface). To cushion the blow, you could put down some puzzle mats in your exercise area.