Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastguy
So what do motorcycle specific boots do, provide more ankle support? It seems that anything you do to stiffen the ankle would just cause a leg break at the top of the boot.
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yes, they provide more support and come up fairly high on the shin. that does a couple things: it spreads out the impact over a larger surface, which decreases the chance of allowing a break, and the stress is carried over to some larger, stronger bones that are less prone to breaking as was mentioned. when you tumble down the road, your extremities will likely be banging the ground with some serious force.
if you're worried about causing different fractures, picture it this way: lie on the pavement, and lift your leg two feet in the air. now, slam your bare ankle to the ground as hard as you can on its side. yeah, i don't want to either. now, put on a pair of the boots i have pictured below and do it again - you probably won't even feel any discomfort at all.
also, the type of protection the offer will help do things that ordinary boots don't: they usually come with a limited range of motion, so there is less twisting and over-extension or over-flexion of the ankle joint. in addition, they can help prevent or minimize crushing injuries b/c they have such stronger lateral support.
these are what i wear most often. see the lateral support brace and the plates in the back? they allow enough flexion/extension for walking, but limit it beyond natural movement. also, they allow nearly no lateral torsion which will sto you from "twisting" your ankle. they also help prevent a crushing injury, as does the front shin guard.