Ice Hockey Shin

Ice Hockey Shin

History behind the Invention of Shin Guards

Shin guards as the name implies are equipments for protecting the shin (the front of the lower leg form below the knee to above the ankle) in the course of a sport. It is used in various games like ice hockey and rugby. These items were made popular by soccer otherwise known as football and base ball.

Soccer is a game played by eleven people in one team, against another team in a rectangular field. Whichever team comes out of the game scoring the highest number of goals wins the game. Because of the nature of the game, players get kicked and injured on different parts of the body with the shin recording the highest amount of kicks and injuries.

Shin guards were therefore, invented for the protection of the shin. They are made of plastic covered with clothes; they carry claps by the side, which the player uses to fit into size with the leg. In most cases, the player covers it with his hose commonly called socks. In the late nineteenth century, Samuel Weller Widdowson solved the problem of constant avoidable and manageable injuries in a game.

He invented the soccer shin guard in Nottingham forest. The team of that town was the first ever to wear shin guards in a soccer game. These products are the only protective covering permitted for players in football soccer game. For base ball, these accessories were invented by roger Phillips Bresnahan.

He was an American base ball player and later manager from 1901 to 1945. Born in the year 1879 in Ohio, Roger played his first game 22 years later in the American league with the Baltimore team. Following closely behind, he played the nationals with New York Giants. After playing virtually every possible position in the game, Bresnahan finally settled for catching. He eventually rose in his career to become the coach of the St' Louis Cardinals then he moved to Chicago Cubs and finally to the Detroit tigers. It was at this point that he realized that catchers need protection in the game. Therefore, the invention of these guards for baseball catchers was an execution of his thoughts and dreams.

Aside from these accessories, there is also other protective gear worn by base ball players. They include leather gloves that are padded for catching the ball, protective helmets for batters, protective chest gear and a cage like mask for catchers. Only catchers wear shin guarding items in baseball, unlike in soccer where every player wears it. The use of protective shin guards cannot be fully emphasized.

The shin, apart from the fore head, is the only part in the body without sufficient flesh covering. Injuries at the shin can be very painful and takes a lot of time to heal. A hit at the shin goes directly to the bone and at the moment of the hit destabilizes the player. Protective shin guards have been modified with better synthetic materials to offer protection at the peak and at the same time very light so as not to weight on the player.

About the Author

G. Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from soccer shin guards to professional basketball. Thanks for reading!

The Importance of Hockey Shin Guards

Hockey is a game that involves two teams. With the aid of a long stick, the players try to score by hitting a little rubber disk into their opponents net. Hockey can be played on a field or on ice. For the game of ice hockey, it involves six players in a team, and for field, it is eleven players. Aside from this difference in number of team players, every other basic of the games are the same. Hockey shin guards are one of the most important parts of the dressing kit and in most cases is compulsory for every player.

It covers the shin from the ball or from a hockey stick. The shin is a part of the body that does not have surrounding flesh to cushion the bones when in contact with a hard object. For the reason that it is positioned immediately after the skin, the injuries sustained in that part of the body are usually painful. The shin guard in this case is a big protection against such trouble. Shin guards are not only used in hockey, they are also used in other sporting activities like the rugby, baseball and the famous soccer or otherwise called football.

The use of shin guard in hockey was developed because of the violent nature of the game. Players move at a great speed in the ice hockey for instance, and at most times because they are on a skate, cannot control their movements especially in face of a collision with another player or an opponent, hence the need for a shin guard. In addition, it is a common occurrence in the game that players try to block the ball and their opponents from scoring with their shins.

The ball may be rubber, but is made into a very hard object that can cause injuries. Therefore, every player is advised to wear a shin guard to prevent injuries. However, hockey shin guards must be very light in terms of weight and strength for proper protection. It is important to know that shin guards are worn depending on the position of the player in the game.

How to properly wear hockey shin guards

• The first is to make sure that the knee cap of the shin guard aligns perfectly with your knee cap. It should not be too tight to prevent movement and not too loose to prevent proper protection.

• Be sure the shin matches with your shin. Children at the growing stage should be checked regularly in order that they get their perfect match. The shin should cover the bone of the leg from directly below the knee to above the ankle with only one or two inches to spare.

• Put the snaps into place. There will be two of them, one below the knee and another just above the ankle.

• Pull your socks above the shin guards, and finally

• Use a tape to ensure that the shin guard is secured and stays in place.

About the Author

G. Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from mma shin guards to professional basketball. Thanks forreading!