This invention relates to ice skates, and especially but not necessarily exclusively to those used for ice hockey.
In ice hockey, it is essential for the player to have a skate which is as rigid as possible, especially in terms of resistance to supination and pronation, i.e. movement about a longitudinal axis of the foot. Such rigidity provides the player with direct control over the skate blade edges, which is essential to controlled, balanced and powerful skating.
At the same time, the skate cannot be too rigid, particularly in terms of dorsal and plantar flexion, i.e. movement about a lateral axis, because the player has to be able to flex his ankle normally, to maximize power and control.
Also, since injury to the foot and ankle through impact is always a concern, whether through impact from a hockey puck or via a deliberate or accidental slash from a hockey stick, impact protection is highly desirable.