Shin guards hurt toes

Sunshine

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Anybody ever have trouble with the instep/foot guards on their shin guards scraping or rubbing the skin on the top of their toes?

I have small feet (ladies size 6.5 which is about a men's size 4.5), so all the shin guards have basically too long of feet. I've been looking for shin guards that would be suitable for my little feet, but all sizing advice seems to be related to calf width. I haven't seen any threads about this particular problem anywhere, and most listings for the guards don't include measurements. (Though a few do, and they are all too large.) I live in a place where there are no places I could try them on within at least a 2 hour drive, maybe farther. The Fairtex size Small look like they might possibly work - I wish I could try them. I have tried on all the loaner ones at our gym, and they are all too long - I keep losing the skin on the top of my toes. Ouch! There is one pair that I like, an old Combat Sports, but they are super old, completely shot, and I can't read the tags, and I haven't been able to find anything like them online. Before I throw in the towel and just use my soccer guards and forego protecting my feet altogether (and looking like a dork), does anyone have any advice? Anyone ever tried children's ones?
 
Don't use soccer guards man!!! Are you really thinking about kicking someone with those? Why not use motorcycle gloves with kevlar on them, or steel boots?

For the scrapping over your toes, just use sport tape.

If you cannot find shin guards with an instep protection that's suit you, just buy them separately. Karate and TKD have different type of just instep protection, and you can easily find just shin guards without the instep part. And it's not that uncommon for people to use just the shin guard.
 
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lol @ using soccer shin guards.

I reckon you should also use skating hand+elbow+knee pads, might as well. (see spoiler below)

s-l1600.jpg
 
Anybody ever have trouble with the instep/foot guards on their shin guards scraping or rubbing the skin on the top of their toes?

I have small feet (ladies size 6.5 which is about a men's size 4.5), so all the shin guards have basically too long of feet. I've been looking for shin guards that would be suitable for my little feet, but all sizing advice seems to be related to calf width. I haven't seen any threads about this particular problem anywhere, and most listings for the guards don't include measurements. (Though a few do, and they are all too large.) I live in a place where there are no places I could try them on within at least a 2 hour drive, maybe farther. The Fairtex size Small look like they might possibly work - I wish I could try them. I have tried on all the loaner ones at our gym, and they are all too long - I keep losing the skin on the top of my toes. Ouch! There is one pair that I like, an old Combat Sports, but they are super old, completely shot, and I can't read the tags, and I haven't been able to find anything like them online. Before I throw in the towel and just use my soccer guards and forego protecting my feet altogether (and looking like a dork), does anyone have any advice? Anyone ever tried children's ones?

Dunno the brand your using but topking runs very....very small.

Theres 2 kinds of shinpad closure systems, hook and loop, and double velcro strap. You need the double velcro strap, it provides alot more "wrap around" in the calf than the hook and loop ones do.

I dunno about your height and weight so I cant suggest a size but if you feet are really as small as you say they are, perhaps look at a childs size.

double velcro
TWS-FSG36-RED.jpg

twins-shin-guards-black-sgl-12.jpg



hook and loop
TWFSG1BR.jpg



i also have a video speaking about this same strap issue
 
Don't use soccer guards man!!! Are you really thinking about kicking someone with those? Why not use motorcycle gloves with kevlar on them, or steel boots?

For the scrapping over your toes, just use sport tape.

If you cannot find shin guards with an instep protection that's suit you, just buy them separately. Karate and TKD have different type of just instep protection, and you can easily find just shin guards without the instep part. And it's not that uncommon for people to use just the shin guard.

Thank you - what is TKD? Tape gets scraped off too. Plus, that's a lot of tape all the time. Seems fussy.

I'm interested in the idea of the shin guards without insteps. I have heard that some of the Muay Thai styles have removable insteps. But wouldn't shin guards without an instep be...soccer guards? I have nice ones with boning up the front and gel ankle protection that are really quite protective. I've counted on them for years. Anyone wearing their own shin guards wouldn't be hurt by them. The only thing is my feet would, of course, be vulnerable.

I also thought maybe of the grappling style, but all reviews said they offer basically no protection at all. They look like foam socks. Any input on those?
 
Dunno the brand your using but topking runs very....very small.

Theres 2 kinds of shinpad closure systems, hook and loop, and double velcro strap. You need the double velcro strap, it provides alot more "wrap around" in the calf than the hook and loop ones do.

I dunno about your height and weight so I cant suggest a size but if you feet are really as small as you say they are, perhaps look at a childs size.

double velcro
TWS-FSG36-RED.jpg

twins-shin-guards-black-sgl-12.jpg



hook and loop
TWFSG1BR.jpg



i also have a video speaking about this same strap issue


Thank you - I am considering a child's size. I have also heard that the Thai brands, Top King in particular run small in all the gear (also looking for small gloves - the Ringsides I have don't fit correctly-I'm a mess). I'm not sure if that's a good idea as children's things often aren't good enough quality for the weight or use of adults. I'm 5'4", 137 lb. I really wish I was anywhere near any kind of martial arts store as I haven't been able to try anything on and the mail-order trial and error method is not doing well for me. I measured my feet, and from the ankle bend to the toe knuckle is just under 5 inches. I'm a kids size 4-4.5 in shoes. Most of the sizing things and reviews do seem to concentrate on the straps. The straps are kindof irrelevant unless children's size straps would be too slender. (I'm imagining little bean pole kids with puppy feet! lol) I wear kids clothes sometimes and kids shoes sometimes. My main concern is that to get a foot small enough the shin wouldn't be tall enough. Is that a thing I should even worry about?
 
Haha, silly. ;) Yeah, I know. It's a little tongue in cheek, the soccer thing, but every time I I looked down at my poor, skinless toe, I kept thinking, my good ol' trusty soccer shin guards have protected me loyally for over a decade, and never left me skinless... lol. Everyone in the gym would think I was crazy though, and I do have some pride. If I didn't care what people thought, I'd probably try it. I've got screwed up priorities, but I'm more worried about getting laughed at than getting hurt. :-\
 
Haha, silly. ;) Yeah, I know. It's a little tongue in cheek, the soccer thing, but every time I I looked down at my poor, skinless toe, I kept thinking, my good ol' trusty soccer shin guards have protected me loyally for over a decade, and never left me skinless... lol. Everyone in the gym would think I was crazy though, and I do have some pride. If I didn't care what people thought, I'd probably try it. I've got screwed up priorities, but I'm more worried about getting laughed at than getting hurt. :-\
I think the concern over the Soccer shin guards should be more about the protection of your training partners when kicking them.

I've got the first model Boon shin guards that I've had forever and they fit like a glove from years of wear. They are nice and compact but they don't make that model anymore the new ones have a larger foot gaurd.
 
But wouldn't shin guards without an instep be...soccer guards?

No... Soccer shin guards are made of hard plastic. That means you will hurt your opponent. A fighting shin guard will protect you and your partner/adverser. It has nothing to do with been laughed at, it has to do with using something that has no place in a fighting gym...
No one will ever let you train with those...

TKD is Taekwon-do.
 
Dude my feet are european size 47/48 and I am 1.90M tall (sorry, no retard metrics). My shin guards also annoy the fuck out of my toes.
 
Dude my feet are european size 47/48 and I am 1.90M tall (sorry, no retard metrics). My shin guards also annoy the fuck out of my toes.
So sounds like a universal problem. lol. You should get tiny shin guards too. No solutions?
 
No... Soccer shin guards are made of hard plastic. That means you will hurt your opponent. A fighting shin guard will protect you and your partner/adverser. It has nothing to do with been laughed at, it has to do with using something that has no place in a fighting gym...
No one will ever let you train with those...

TKD is Taekwon-do.
I hadn't even thought about what they are made of - only that they are hard. What are the Muay Thai guards made of? All the ones I've seen are pretty hard. Either shiny hard plastic or something that feels like hard plastic with a leather or vinyl covering. They seem identical to soccer shin guards except for the foot thing. I have seen pictures of the ones I described above as grappling style (foam socks), but those were described as not for Muay Thai and not very protective. Those actually also remind me of old-school soccer shin guards from the '80s. My soccer ones are firm, but not a solid plastic shield like the Muay Thai ones. They are lighter weight, thinner, and a little bendy. Almost like a thick, plastic-boned corset. :) Weird comparison, I know.

Also remember, it's just a joke borne of frustration with losing all my skin every training. I have to either lose the guards altogether (ouch) or quit early. I've done both.
 
Thank you - I am considering a child's size. I have also heard that the Thai brands, Top King in particular run small in all the gear (also looking for small gloves - the Ringsides I have don't fit correctly-I'm a mess). I'm not sure if that's a good idea as children's things often aren't good enough quality for the weight or use of adults. I'm 5'4", 137 lb. I really wish I was anywhere near any kind of martial arts store as I haven't been able to try anything on and the mail-order trial and error method is not doing well for me. I measured my feet, and from the ankle bend to the toe knuckle is just under 5 inches. I'm a kids size 4-4.5 in shoes. Most of the sizing things and reviews do seem to concentrate on the straps. The straps are kindof irrelevant unless children's size straps would be too slender. (I'm imagining little bean pole kids with puppy feet! lol) I wear kids clothes sometimes and kids shoes sometimes. My main concern is that to get a foot small enough the shin wouldn't be tall enough. Is that a thing I should even worry about?

get some cloth shinguards size small.
 
get some cloth shinguards size small.
Those are horrible for your partners too though. Based on what I'm reading it sounds like this is a smaller female tho so she may be able to get away with that. Some girls can kick pretty damn hard though.
 
I hadn't even thought about what they are made of - only that they are hard. What are the Muay Thai guards made of? All the ones I've seen are pretty hard. Either shiny hard plastic or something that feels like hard plastic with a leather or vinyl covering. They seem identical to soccer shin guards except for the foot thing. I have seen pictures of the ones I described above as grappling style (foam socks), but those were described as not for Muay Thai and not very protective. Those actually also remind me of old-school soccer shin guards from the '80s. My soccer ones are firm, but not a solid plastic shield like the Muay Thai ones. They are lighter weight, thinner, and a little bendy. Almost like a thick, plastic-boned corset. :) Weird comparison, I know.


There must be some confusing... Football shinguard are usually made of hard plastic:

42122901-zoom.jpg


Muay Thai shin guards are made of leather with some type of padding inside:

ftx-sp1-blk_a.jpg


The football ones, are not acceptable gear for Muay thai. If you have some "soft" kind, then you may want to ask your trainer if he thinks it's ok... But you should try to have proper gear for the specific sport, for your own safety, but also for your partners...
 
Those are horrible for your partners too though. Based on what I'm reading it sounds like this is a smaller female tho so she may be able to get away with that. Some girls can kick pretty damn hard though.

this person says they are 5'4" 135 lbs..........Im 135 lbs and im 5' 7" so I find this post "odd"
 
Anybody ever have trouble with the instep/foot guards on their shin guards scraping or rubbing the skin on the top of their toes?

I have small feet (ladies size 6.5 which is about a men's size 4.5), so all the shin guards have basically too long of feet. I've been looking for shin guards that would be suitable for my little feet, but all sizing advice seems to be related to calf width. I haven't seen any threads about this particular problem anywhere, and most listings for the guards don't include measurements. (Though a few do, and they are all too large.) I live in a place where there are no places I could try them on within at least a 2 hour drive, maybe farther. The Fairtex size Small look like they might possibly work - I wish I could try them. I have tried on all the loaner ones at our gym, and they are all too long - I keep losing the skin on the top of my toes. Ouch! There is one pair that I like, an old Combat Sports, but they are super old, completely shot, and I can't read the tags, and I haven't been able to find anything like them online. Before I throw in the towel and just use my soccer guards and forego protecting my feet altogether (and looking like a dork), does anyone have any advice? Anyone ever tried children's ones?
I use the IKF cloth shin guards since that’s what I fight in. As far as cloth shin guards go they are pretty damn good but if you are just interested in sparring or if you don’t live in the US west coast in particular ( where the IKF sanctions 90% of the fights) get some proper shin guards.
 
this person says they are 5'4" 135 lbs..........Im 135 lbs and im 5' 7" so I find this post "odd"
Well you're a small dude, but this was a quote from the TS:

"I have small feet (ladies size 6.5 which is about a men's size 4.5)" and her avatar is a woman's symbol so I think it's safe to say this is a female.
 
Well you're a small dude, but this was a quote from the TS:

"I have small feet (ladies size 6.5 which is about a men's size 4.5)" and her avatar is a woman's symbol so I think it's safe to say this is a female.

yeah but shes worried that shinguards that fit her foot will be too small on the calf. and since we got her height and weight it just seems weird. anyways the only thing she could do is cut instep pad off or try childs size thats why I was suggesting the cloth ones cause they are cheap so could probably buy a few different sizes etc. just thought of something that might work right now lol


Instep-Guard.jpg_640x640.jpg


+

thaismai-shin-protector-without-instep-lp-181.jpg
 
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