[Experimental studies on the effectiveness of various shin guards in soccer]

These experimental studies with protective shin-guards show, whether it is possible to protect soccer players' shins effectively, even to prevent shin-fractures. In simulating different forces, acting on shin-guard protected wooden rollers compared to non-protected ones, it could be shown, that injury-protection can be efficient due to stretching the acting forces over a longer period of time, so that the maximal acting force can be decisively reduced. It could be shown, that the greatest effect was seen on maximal forces of less than about 300 kp (3000 N), and that increasing the acting forces will soon reduce this effect. A comparison with forces which are able to fracture human tibial bones shown, that this effect can sometimes even be great enough to prevent tibial fractures. Shin-guards greatest effect nevertheless lies in preventing the great majority of soft tissue damage.