hip pain, any fins that would help?

[coop26]

Just recently got certified. I have pain in my hip after diving and paddling around. This is from being in a quarry, I'm hoping it won't get worse when I dive in the ocean with a current, but I'm thinking it will. :depressed:

I can pop my hip joint lol, I'm pretty sure its from playing sports and getting hit too much etc when I was younger. It doesn't hurt all the time to make me feel that I really need to goto a doctor about it, but I'm sure I will end up at a doctor about it eventually. Just hurts after I dive. Also, I've used a weight belt and used a weight integrated BCD separately to see if it was the weight belt and it was the same either way.

I'm wondering if a different fin would help me. I was looking at the splits and came upon the Aqualung Slingshots. Besides the fact that I think they look cool as hell I wonder if they would help with my joint pain if they are in fact more efficient/easier to paddle with.

Or is there another fin out there that could help my situation. Split fins? I currently am using the Aeris Velocity X3s and do like them, just don't like the pain and if changing fins would help then I'm all for it.

Thanks!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What kick are you using? A frog or modified frog is very easy on the legs and perhaps will work well with hip pain reduction due to the different motion?

 

[cmburch]

Very bad, since you kick from the hip. May want to see a Doctor to determine if arthritis is the problem, or perhaps something can be done to reduce the pain or wear on the joint such as medication, diet change, strengthening the muscles around the joint, etc.

When I was in school, I had a lot of hip pain in sports. Like something grinding in there when I did eggbeater or whip.

I use Apollo Bio fins sometimes. I do not know if they would make a difference. Need to try some out in a pool if possible.

Regular pool time may help your reducing the pain when diving by moving the joint and strengthening the muscles. Kind of like getting use to the motion of kicking a few days a week with fins rather than just going out each weekend and overexerting.

Also take it easy when diving and be aware that overdoing it may cause pain later.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

APS Mantaray --everyone I know with leg or hip pain who has tried them say they help dramatically.

Website: www.apsmantaray.com

Good luck,

Jeff

 

[Nemrod]

I have hip pain, mostly just ignore it, it is arthritis made worse by years of running and triathlons. You might want to learn the frog kick or a modified scissor kick that reduces hip involvement or, just walk it off (literally) as most likely what you have is arthritis/joint injury and inflammation. You might also consider using an elliptical trainer or cycling, I have found that these maintain flexibility and reduce the overall level of pain, which is pretty constant. For me the alternative is drugs which I don't take, no drugs or medicine, nope.

N

 

[coop26]

@jim, basically using a scissor kick

@cmburch, I do work out all the time. I may try to incorporate more swimming good idea.

@jeff, those fins look pretty interesting. I may try them out. found them at a decent price on ebay

@nemrod, thanks, I try to ride my mountain bike a lot, usually 5-10miles a week.

Thanks for the tips guys, defiantly taking them in and trying to figure out which will work best!

 

[knowone]

Using the fins you are using until you get used to them are the fins that would help?
Diving is the only exercise that simulates diving.
I have been telling progressively ex acquaintances for years that running unless you are running from muggers and jogging unless you are chasing a spouse are for unimaginative fools and it damages bones, just like suggesting calcium supplements to my mother for the last 30 years who now has the bone necrosis of dead people and refuses to believe that she didn't listen.
With a pushbike at least you have the option of the other side of a hill and a seat.

 

[Hatul]

With hip pain I'd avoid large or stiff fins that offer a lot of resistance.

Another brand suggestion is Force Fin Pro. They helped me with foot pain and may also work with hip pain as they're quite small.

By the way you don't have to kick purely from hips. It's OK to bend the knees and kick partly from knees.

Adam

 

[N2DeepInAz]

I, too have a pain in my hip. The right one to be precise. I haven't seen a doctor for mine but did experience some extreme stiffness in the hip after diving. I suspect my pain is from years of full contact sports and a serious injury I sustained in that hip in my youth during those sports.

I currently use the Aqualung blade, mid-flex fins and a pair of Hollis F1's on my tec dives. I have learned that the pain seems to stem from overexerting a tendon in my hip that is pinching a nerve. I found this out after discussing the situation with a chiropractor friend of mine.

Being a diver himself, he recommended stretching before and after dives to keep the tendon loose. He also suggested that I change my kick from a scissor kick to a frog or modified frog kick to alleviate stress on the hip. I have done that and the pain has mostly subsided. Also, I have slowed down underwater which requires less strenuous kicking.

I've decided to just deal with it and attempt to counter the pain by changing the way I do things. So far so good. After a few months of changes in my techniques, the pain has subsided and diving is now much more enjoyable.

I hope this helps so you can enjoy yourself and so that it doesn't keep you from diving.

 

[Nemrod]

Well, there is another thing you can do, swim, swim, swim. I swim three to five miles a week, sometimes more, never less than a mile if I bother to get in the pool. Toward the end, I usually bring some fins and swim them using a paddle board. Fitness does wonders and I do believe that exercise, real exercise as in aerobic, sustained outputs, such as swimming, cycling, elliptical etc, can significantly reduce typical "age related" body pains.

If your gym routine is a lot of weight lifting, heavy weights, low reps, that will just make it worse. Use low weight, 15 to 20 reps, choose exercises that promote flexibility and use a range of motion and muscle groups.

I have gotten into, shall I say, a grudge match, bicycle race, me and my nearly 30 year old steel Pinarello, vs a bunch of Lycra clad bike weenies on carbon fiber. In order to increase my speed, I have been doing workouts in the gym, fewer reps, more weight, to increase my strength and power, I notice immediately that it hurts my hips.

Back to your original question, I think a stiffer fin, a Jet fin, a frog kick or a modified scissor or using a flutter kick that involves more of your lower leg than purely "scissoring" at the hip may help. For the flutter type, it is true, Force Fins are fine. But I find that FF simply suck with a camera where 100% of all maneuvering is done with the legs/fins whether backing up, sculling sideways or moving forward or hovering and for this, a blade type fin like the Jet or Mares Avanti/Quattro is the only way to go.

N