Finning issues

[OneOffDave]

I've just had a try dive and loved it so looking to go forward and learning to dive. I'm a below knee amputee on one leg and had the other ankle pinned so can't point my toes. As a result both my feet stay at 90 deg to my legs, this made finning very difficult and used a lot of energy to go nowhere. Any suggetions to get round this issue would be appreciated.

cheers

Dave

[Nigel Hewitt]

As a first guess use flexible fins and bend you knees so your calves point straight up and your fins point backwards. Then fin by moving your knees up and down.

Actually it's not much different from a lot of people although with locked up ankles you can't frog-kick.

It's a fixable problem. Borrow lots of different fins and try them.

Hope it all comes together for you.

[PeteM]

I've just had a try dive and loved it so looking to go forward and learning to dive. I'm a below knee amputee on one leg and had the other ankle pinned so can't point my toes. As a result both my feet stay at 90 deg to my legs, this made finning very difficult and used a lot of energy to go nowhere. Any suggetions to get round this issue would be appreciated.

cheers

Dave

We had one guy who used to dive with my old club with only one leg, he had a special diving prosthetic leg made up that had the foot in the right position for finning

[Mike Halligan]

Not unusual to have a different prosthetic for diving, when buoyancy, balance and form can then aid trim and performance while the same prosthetic would be unhelpful on land.

Mike

[ChristianG]

Not unusual to have a different prosthetic for diving, when buoyancy, balance and form can then aid trim and performance while the same prosthetic would be unhelpful on land.
Unfortunately our friend also has his other ankle pinned so he can't point the toes on that foot anyway. I can feel for him because I have the flattest of flat feet so that is a real problem for me as well. I have often wondered what would happen if a manufacturer were to release a set of fins with the blades pointed at, say, 45 degrees or thereabouts - or even a set of adjustable blades.

[OneOffDave]

Unfortunately our friend also has his other ankle pinned so he can't point the toes on that foot anyway. I can feel for him because I have the flattest of flat feet so that is a real problem for me as well. I have often wondered what would happen if a manufacturer were to release a set of fins with the blades pointed at, say, 45 degrees or thereabouts - or even a set of adjustable blades.

I might acquire a cheap pair of fins and heat them before bending them to this angle and allowing to cool to see if this works. If it does than I'll look into making it work for a better pair. I'm sure that an open mind and plenty of experimentation will enable me to find some solution. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

[PeteM]

I might acquire a cheap pair of fins and heat them before bending them to this angle and allowing to cool to see if this works. If it does than I'll look into making it work for a better pair. I'm sure that an open mind and plenty of experimentation will enable me to find some solution. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

It might also be worth talking to one or more of these guys and getting their opinion as it is likely they have come across a similar problem before
http://www.scubatrust.org.uk/
http://www.dive-able.org.uk/
http://www.hsascuba.com/

[Maria CM]

I am envisioning lengthening fins by bolting on some heavy duty plastic flat rods so that a velcro'd long neoprene collar arrangement could be wrapped around your calves to secure it???? Perhaps with an elastic stirrup to stop it moving up???

Think I have attached something but not sure:confused:

best wishes,

maria

[OneOffDave]

That's an interesting idea Maria and not too difficult to construct either.

[Maria CM]

Hope it helps or works... let me know if you try it, and what happens. If it works it might be useful for others too.

Not sure that fins will bend that far without breaking (heating option). If you leave them in the sun on hot liveaboard they do bend considerably but just seem to return to shape in the water - worth a try though.

best wishes,

Maria

[Keith Littlebury]

What about a scooter?

[robscubaproxlt]

some fins that cantelever but lock in a predetermined position once in the water ,would be good! Im sure you or someone could engineer these out of old fins make sure you patent it though and buy me a beer if you get rich!:0) there are also some propulsion items you can use like dpvs which you hold on too and some you can strap to your legs take a look on a site called divernet.

http://www.divernet.com/

[ChristianG]

some fins that cantelever but lock in a predetermined position once in the water ,would be good! Im sure you or someone could engineer these out of old fins make sure you patent it though and buy me a beer if you get rich
Oi, I got in first with that suggestion, that's my beer you're talking about. ;)

there are also some propulsion items you can use like dpvs which you hold on too and some you can strap to your legs
Except that our friend's legs are significantly hampered.

What about a scooter?
My two problems with a (conventional) scooter is (a) lack of propulsion if the scooter carks it and (b) the buddy would have to have one as well which might make it a tad impractical. Scooters are not exactly thick on the ground and take up a lot of space on a RHIB, even a hardboat.

But yes, it's a good thought.

[N2-UK]

I was on pool duty for our club tonight & I saw someone with some seriously bent fins (bent downwards, so just the ticket). I'll contact the owner & find out where they came from.

Nigel N

[Dianne]

How about Force Fins Force Fins Catalogue (http://www.forcefin.com/FF_PAGES/catalog.htm) I have a buddy who wears them as he has a dodgy knee and as they require (apparently) a different finning tecnique and less energy, they could be suitable.

Could you ask the manufacturer for advice?

Di