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Concept
Shin guard
Summary
A shin guard or shin pad, is a piece of equipment worn on the front of an athlete's shin to protect it from injury. These are commonly used in sports including association football, baseball, ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, cricket and mountain bike trials. They are also used in combat sports and martial arts competitions including kickboxing, mixed martial arts, taekwondo, karate and professional wrestling. This is due to either being required by the rules/laws of the sport or worn voluntarily by the participants for protective measures.
Modern day shin guards are made of many differing synthetic materials, including, but not limited to:
Fibreglass - Stiff, sturdy, and light weight.
Foam rubber - Very light weight, but not as sturdy and solid as fibreglass.
Polyurethane - Heavy and sturdy, which offers almost complete protection from most impacts.
Plastic - Less protective than any of the other synthetic shin guards.
Metal - Highly protective, but very heavy and uncomfortable.
The shin guard was inspired by the concept of a greave. A greave is a piece of armour used to protect the shin. It is a Middle English term, derived from an Old French word, greve (pronounced gri’v), meaning shin or shin armour. The etymology of this word not only describes the use and purpose of shin guards, but also contributes to dating the technology.
This technology dates back to ancient times as early as Greek and Roman Republics. Back then, shin guards were viewed as purely protective measures for warriors in battle and were made of bronze or other hard, sturdy materials. The earliest known physical proof of the technology appeared when archaeologist Sir William Temple discovered a pair of bronze greaves with a Gorgon's head design in the relief on each knee capsule. After careful, proper examination it was estimated that the greaves were made in Apulia, a region in Southern Italy, around 550/500 B.C. This area fell under the Roman Empire boundaries and is known as today as the Salento Peninsula; it is more commonly known as the heel of Italy.
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