Bethnal Green Celtic

Shin guards, also known as shin pads, are commonly used in a variety of contact sports including football and hockey.They are essential safety-wear; just beneath the surface of the shin lies the tibia bone, which lacks surrounding muscle and therefore cushioning against injury. Injuries to the shin can therefore be serious and very painful. A broken tibia takes a long time to heal.If you (or your son or daughter) are involved in sports, even occasionally, shin guards should be worn. There are a huge variety on offer; the price will depend on the construction material, the size and degree of protection, and the brand name.
These tips can help you pick the most suitable for your needs, at the right price:

Buy the right size – shin guards come in a range of sizes, and these vary depending on the brand (just like shoes). Make sure you try shin guards on before buying them, and wear them with your sports shoes so you can really test if they fit properly and feel comfortable. Walk around in the shop to get a feel for them. In terms of what size is right for you, shin guards should fit snugly but not compress the leg too much. They should provide protection from around an inch above the foot to right under the knee. Shin guards that are too long will be cumbersome and uncomfortable, while those that are too short will provide inadequate protection.

The right material – shin guards are made from a range of materials, and this difference is reflected in the price. The main materials used are fiberglass, foam rubber, plastic and polyurethane. Plastic is the cheapest, and consequently offers the weakest protection, but can be adequate for younger children who are less likely to be exposed to stronger challenges. Foam rubber is very lightweight, and as such is good for younger children, although it doesn’t offer as much protection as fibreglass, which is stiff and sturdy. Polyurethane is the strongest and heaviest material, and offers the most protection. The most expensive shin guards will be made from fibreglass or polyurethane.

Attachment method – shin guards attach to the foot using different methods, the most common of which are velcro and slip-on. Velcro shin guards use velcro strips that attach at the back of the leg; these pads have the advantage of variable fitting snugness, and can also be easily taken off without removing footwear. However, some people are sensitive to velcro – particularly small children – and the initial ‘weirdness’ of the feeling can be off-putting during matches. The slip-on variety simply loop up and over the bare foot, but can’t be removed as easily during matches once the wearer has put on their football boots or trainers.

Washable – ensure that shin guards are machine-washable, or at the very least hand-washable. Sweat and bacteria can build up on shin pads during a game, which can make the product unhygienic over time. If there are open cuts on the shin or surrounding area, pathogens from the shin pad can enter and potentially cause infection. Good shin pads will withstand regular machine washes; if in doubt, talk to the manufacturer.

Shin pads are a sensible and essential investment whether you play sports occasionally or as a regular participant. Hopefully these tips will help you buy the right pair.

Shin guards are worn in a variety of sports including football and hockey, and are designed to protect the sensitive tibia bone from injury. Some sports have mandatory rules governing the wearing of shin pads to reduce the number of injuries. If you are a regular or even occasional player, make sure you invest in a pair of good-quality shin pads to prevent long periods of absence from the pitch due to injury.

Although we often think of shin guards as a modern invention, perhaps due to the cutting-edge technologies often used in their construction, they are actually descended from ancient armour worn by infantry troops. Read on to find out more, along with four other tips about shin guards that you probably didn’t know!

Shin pads are descended from the greave – like many modern objects, shin guards are descended from objects used in battle. The greave was a piece of armour that protects the leg, made from materials including padded cloth and steel. They were most commonly used by heavy infantry, and were developed in ancient times, although they continued to be used during the middle ages.

Unions would like to see teachers wearing shin pads – in August 2011 in the UK, unions urged the Government to provide teachers with shin guards to protect them from violence from school pupils, citing the number of students expelled each year for unruly behaviour. The GMB union said that teachers and teaching assistants should be issued with protective gear, including shin pads, to prevent injury.

Shin pads for sport were first used in cricket – shin guards were originally used in cricket to give the batsman a strategic advantage; by placing his legs in front of the stumps he could use his legs to block the path of the ball and prevent his wicket being taken. The overuse of this led to ‘leg before wicket’ rules being introduced in 1809. Leg guards continue to be used in cricket, mostly as protection, and are worn by the wicket-keeper, the batsman, and by fielders close to the batsman.

The most expensive shin pads cost £150 ($233) – shin pads range in price, all the way from a couple of pounds for a non-branded pair of guards to £150 for a top-of-the-line pair of Diadora Totti Mondiali Shin Pads. Personally cast from Francesco Totti’s leg and featuring F1 Technology, these carbon-fibre shin pads are made from a layer of Titanium fibre on the inside, and a layer of Kevlar fibre on the outside. If you’ve got money to spare, these are the bee’s knees.

People initially laughed at the use of shin guards – the first person to use shin guards in Association Football, or soccer, was Sam Weller Widdowson in 1874. At the time soccer was unregulated and brutal, and Widdowson was looking for ways to cut down on the injuries sustained during the course of a match. As a regular cricket player, Widdowson decided to cut down a pair of cricket shin guards and attach them to his legs using straps of leather. And he was met with ridicule from the other players! However, they soon saw the advantages and so the practice began to spread.

We hope you found these facts interesting – please remember to wear shin guards when practising or playing in a match to keep your legs protected and comfortable.