Shin guards have become one of soccer's most important pieces of equipment. It can be difficult to comprehend how such a small piece of gear could provide such huge relief to millions of soccer players around the world. Today the soccer shin guard is an assumed -- and often legally required -- piece of soccer equipment.
Origins
Soccer's modern rules originated in England, and similar foot-directed ball games were played in Greece, Rome, Japan and China, perhaps as early as 200 A.D. By the middle of the 19th century, England had become soccer's driving force, and the game began to spread throughout Europe. In 1874, Sam Widdowson of England's Nottingham Forest team played with shin guards at the time "Nottingham Rules" allowed 18 players per side. Team size and footwear, described by soccer historian Stanley Loveras boots with steel toecaps and leather studs attached with nails, would suggest Widdowson's shin guards were prudent additions. Design improvements helped popularize shin guards during the early 1900s, yet some players still found them uncomfortable and inhibiting.
Regulations
In 1990, shin guards became mandatory for professional players. That year, international organizing body FIFA passed Law IV, governing players' clothing and shin guard specifications. In 2008, the National Federation of State High School Associations issued rulings for high school equipment to the effect that any player wearing unapproved or improperly sized shin guards risked penalties. All shin guards must carry the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment approval tag and sizing specification and are to be placed no higher than two inches above the ankle.
Evolution
The shin guards in today's soccer game can sometimes be hard to detect. Typically worn underneath long socks, the shell is made from very thin, highly resilient plastic, fiberglass or polyurethane and the inner layer from specialized foams such as EVA, popular in running shoes' soles. One shin guard can weigh less than 2 oz. and may come with fabric extensions, or sleeves to cover the ankle.
Benefits
Your shins are among the least protected bony parts of your anatomy. Like your skull, your major shinbone -- the tibia -- lies underneath a minimal layer of fat, and is so poorly cushioned that the blood vessels and nerves sitting just on top of the tibia are highly susceptible to bruising, bleeding and pain. Cuts to the skin over the tibia draw blood and even the slightest of bumps can hurt, so protection from other players' high-velocity, wayward kicks strongly influenced shin guard design. A good shin guard disperses impact forces throughout the tibia's entire length, although severe trauma can still break the bone.
References
- Master Soccer: Who Invented Soccer Shinguards?
- Livermore Referees: Soccer Rules Are Brilliant
- Football Nostalgia: 1857-1887
- FIFA.com: A Selection Of Amendments In The Last 20 Years
- NFHS/IHSAA: Players To Be Penalized In High School Soccer For Illegal Equipment
- My Youth Soccer Guide: Selecting Soccer Shinguards
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