Shin guards in the field?

[ANNASDAD]

Styling, Anna when she was 11. I used to tell her if she didn’t throw the ball over the middle of the plate she wouldn’t have to wear them!

 

[coachdennis]

Lightweight Impact protection like evo sheild and other brands have been around for decades and worn by baseball and slow pitch players for as long as it has been around. Kevlar has shin guards that are lightweight and flat with a lightweight foam on the skin side.

Players do not even know they have them on as it does not impact running sliding etc. The vest are cool as well under the standard players uniform many people/coaches have no idea they are wearing it.

You can also get kevlar in wristbands and MLB is allowing it in inside of fielders/pitchers ball caps.

Back in 2005-2013 our ladies had it and it defiantly gave them a competitive advantage over teams that did not know about the impact protection. Now back then many players used a mouthpiece that has since been changed out by many of todays players for a game face. The game has evolved a ton with technology and not all coaches are up to speed on how to train and utilize all the tools available give their players a competitive advantage at the plate or in the field...

I remember a USSSA 11U world series game vs. a smaller slapping/bunting team that we were playing.
We had our corners crashing hard and other fielders a little closer.
They had a player make decent contact that hit our third base. She bent down picked up the ball and gunned down the speedy runner.
The coach for the other team looked at his ladies and said "see that is why I want you to creep up" He had no idea our players have BA on underneath their jerseys and socks.
Pictured is one of our 15U ladies back in 2011 with impact protection under the vest. I will post one with the shin guards when I find a good one.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I've thought about wearing neoprene sleeves on my knees after having some knee issues from catching, field hockey, and cheerleading. I'm sitting on the beach rn in Ocean City, MD in the sun but having some knee pain from where I tweaked my knee. Not sure how neoprene sleeves would work under our leg protection. Sounds like it would be a good idea, tho.

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I'm about 30 years removed from catching as much as humanly possible ... the neoprene won't provide any impact protection, but the compression helps with the pain/discomfort (and maybe has some other health benefits).

Do whatever you can to mitigate that. It will only get worse as you get older. Now I'm an umpire so I'm still running and squatting (not quite the same way, but still plenty of strain on the lower body). My knees typically don't bother me in season, but when the Midwest cold sets in, I know it. I spent the last two years down south and my knees never bothered me once while I was there.

 

[softgabby]

I'm about 30 years removed from catching as much as humanly possible ... the neoprene won't provide any impact protection, but the compression helps with the pain/discomfort (and maybe has some other health benefits).

Do whatever you can to mitigate that. It will only get worse as you get older. Now I'm an umpire so I'm still running and squatting (not quite the same way, but still plenty of strain on the lower body). My knees typically don't bother me in season, but when the Midwest cold sets in, I know it. I spent the last two years down south and my knees never bothered me once while I was there.

I notice my knees being sore if I run a lot, if I work my legs heavy doing weights, or if I do a lot of up and down at practice or in-game. I suspect I may have had a minor tear of my meniscus when I was a cheerleader and I never had it looked at. If I notice the pain getting worse, I'll have to seek out an orthopedist and have it looked at. Maybe I can get the knee cleaned out orthoscopically.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I notice my knees being sore if I run a lot, if I work my legs heavy doing weights, or if I do a lot of up and down at practice or in-game. I suspect I may have had a minor tear of my meniscus when I was a cheerleader and I never had it looked at. If I notice the pain getting worse, I'll have to seek out an orthopedist and have it looked at. Maybe I can get the knee cleaned out orthoscopically.

Lots of moving parts (and non-moving parts!) in our knees. Pay attention to your body and try to pinpoint what is hurting ... is it muscle or is it bone, is it in the joint or around the joint ... so you can diagnose and treat it properly.

Sorry if I am sounding soap boxy ... A few years back I had a freak hip problem (transient osteoporosis) and if I had not listened to the first doctor (shoot it up with cortisone) over my body I would have collapsed the bone and required a hip replacement. Fortunately I refused and stuck to my belief that the pain is telling me something. I finally found doctors who would listen to me, not just offer me pain meds and bill my insurance.

 

[lostcreek1]

I do see how they could benefit a pitcher especially the young ones. Looks like the only kind of shin guards made to wear under your socks are the ones made for soccer. Don’t seem like anyone makes them for softball.

 

[softgabby]

Lots of moving parts (and non-moving parts!) in our knees. Pay attention to your body and try to pinpoint what is hurting ... is it muscle or is it bone, is it in the joint or around the joint ... so you can diagnose and treat it properly.

Sorry if I am sounding soap boxy ... A few years back I had a freak hip problem (transient osteoporosis) and if I had not listened to the first doctor (shoot it up with cortisone) over my body I would have collapsed the bone and required a hip replacement. Fortunately I refused and stuck to my belief that the pain is telling me something. I finally found doctors who would listen to me, not just offer me pain meds and bill my insurance.

We haven't learned all the fine parts, but I can imagine there are a lot of moving and non-moving parts in the knee (we'll be learning more about that I would imagine in medical school). I have been paying attention to my body and it seems like I have the most pain a day or two after doing a lot of leg work. Whether that be in the weight room, doing lots of squats, catching an extended pitching session, or lots of running or biking. The pain seems to be centered below the joint where the tibula and fibula meet and the tendons and ligaments connect. Also, its more toward the front of the knee which leads me toward a possible torn meniscus. Its also helped by IcyHot and/or acetometaphin.

 

[coachdennis]

I do see how they could benefit a pitcher especially the young ones. Looks like the only kind of shin guards made to wear under your socks are the ones made for soccer. Don’t seem like anyone makes them for softball.

Impact protection is somewhat universal.

The key is not having equipment that impedes the players ability to preform or effects their performance in a negative way.

There are several kevlar brand socks (NOT Padded) that has the kevlar built into the shin or ankle area of the sock.
It comes in a variety of size socks so you get the protection in the right area.

Naturally, this type of protection is more costly than the padded pillow style many younger players tend to get and you have to purchase this equipment on line or at a high end sports equipment store.
The only down side we experienced with the the socks were they are part of your uniforms so the sock styles/colors for the team would need to match if players chose not to get them.

 

[radness]

I've thought about wearing neoprene sleeves on my knees after having some knee issues from catching, field hockey, and cheerleading. I'm sitting on the beach rn in Ocean City, MD in the sun but having some knee pain from where I tweaked my knee. Not sure how neoprene sleeves would work under our leg protection. Sounds like it would be a good idea, tho.

Sent from my SM-S127DL using Tapatalk

Myself I did not care for the entire knee pad around my leg because when we're crunching down into our Crouch it kind of cut off circulation.

I have worn neoprene sleeve before but only while I was going to do much walking like going to the fair or running. Think from other experiences with knee braces there might be something else
(not neoprene sleeve)more suitable that would help your knee and still support your leg.
Nothing better than strong muscles though

 

[radness]

I do see how they could benefit a pitcher especially the young ones. Looks like the only kind of shin guards made to wear under your socks are the ones made for soccer. Don’t seem like anyone makes them for softball.

Same purpose... surprised no one is marketing them for softball yet...

Hmmm