You may have seen hockey goaltenders wearing something different than the normal pads; sometimes they will wear leg pads instead of regular pads. What are goaltender leg pads?
Hockey goalie leg pads are special protective gear that goaltenders wear under their regular pads to protect their shins and lower legs from injuries when blocking shots or checking players to the ice. The primary purpose of the leg pads is to protect the shins and lower legs from injuries caused by heavy impacts with low-angle shots or checks from behind. For instance, checking from behind will cause the bottom of the skate to hit the ice first before the upper part of the skate breaks away, thus protecting the shins and lower legs from possible damage.
Although wearing the leg pads doesn’t hurt your team’s chances of winning, it can actually make a difference in the outcome of games. According to studies, teams that use hunchbacked goaltenders score more goals than those who use classical, box-style goalies.
How Do I Put On Hockey Goalie Leg Pads?
To put on hockey goalie leg pads, you will need to first remove your normal pads and then pull the inside part of your shorts or pants over your shins and lower legs. You should snug the bottom of the shorts or pants so that it fits your shins and lower legs but still has some room to spare. When you are done, you should have a perfect fit without any visible gaps or holes. If you are wearing knee pads on your regular legs, you may want to wear the matching hockey goalie leg pads on your shins as well.
To keep your lower legs warm while playing, you can either wear regular stockings or socks, or you can use the ankle straps of your boot to tie the socks into a baggy shape that will keep your cold extremities protected. There, now you are ready to go out there and play hard!