it_mike
Contributor
BTW, I have some new Force Fin Pro's for sale cheap (less than the price of Originals). Let me know if you're interested.
Mike
Mike
Is There a Paddle/Blade Fin for Diver with Bad Knee?
- Thread starter SanFranDiver
- Start date
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DevonDiver
N/A
My knees are both poor from years of playing rugby and military service.
I switched to Force Fins many years ago and these made a noticeable difference. They offer excellent power, but seem to shift the burden/train from your calves/knees up to your quads. They have extremely low water resistance...and a nice slow frog kick is possible from the ankles only.
Try them for a few dives!
I switched to Force Fins many years ago and these made a noticeable difference. They offer excellent power, but seem to shift the burden/train from your calves/knees up to your quads. They have extremely low water resistance...and a nice slow frog kick is possible from the ankles only.
Try them for a few dives!
Well, I'm in. the regular force fins are great. My no cartilage knees, floating kneecaps, shattered ankle, and detached ligaments in my left ankle, love my force fins.
Frog kicks, helicoptering, backing up- all a breeze. I have students and divers who I lead asking me how I do that "swirling kick" that they watch me do.... They are very easy to play with.
With your knee injury and quad weakness, you will want to just play with the kicks until you find the way that works the best. I like that they are versatile enough that you can sort of create your own kick depending on your strengths and needs.
Good luck, and let us know what happens.
Frog kicks, helicoptering, backing up- all a breeze. I have students and divers who I lead asking me how I do that "swirling kick" that they watch me do.... They are very easy to play with.
With your knee injury and quad weakness, you will want to just play with the kicks until you find the way that works the best. I like that they are versatile enough that you can sort of create your own kick depending on your strengths and needs.
Good luck, and let us know what happens.
I have a pretty bad left knee and find that Mares Volos are a great "hybrid" fin: you can use a number of finning styles (including back-finning) like a paddle, but with the ease & power of a split. Best of both worlds, IMHO.
OP
SanFranDiver
Contributor
Got in the pool yesterday and did laps with my TUSA xPert Zoom fins - had a hard time pushing the water!!!!
So, since most regular fins strap the blade onto the toes, I thought I'd try the Force Fins and see what having the strap across the instep would do - plus the fact that they're made of a different material which seems more flexible/whippier than regular fins - seems like they'd be a major alternative to split fins and stiff black rubber blades which I've already tried.
Should have them in a week or two - then I'll post my thoughts on how FFs work with a gimpy knee/leg.
Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.
So, since most regular fins strap the blade onto the toes, I thought I'd try the Force Fins and see what having the strap across the instep would do - plus the fact that they're made of a different material which seems more flexible/whippier than regular fins - seems like they'd be a major alternative to split fins and stiff black rubber blades which I've already tried.
Should have them in a week or two - then I'll post my thoughts on how FFs work with a gimpy knee/leg.
Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.
rafdo
Registered
32 months is a long time for 50% quad weakness. More factors may be in the solution. Can you completely straighten out your knee & is there any ligament laxity? An old article compared postop knee rehab using scientific$$ rehab equipment vs a pogo stick (the winner). Pogo sticks limit knee motion (0-30 degrees) & exercise all leg & trunk muscles for balance. To prevent breaking a wrist etc, try it in water or the new kid on the block. Google "underwater pogo stick" When my knee was bad & sloppy, I dove & exercised with a relatively inexpensive "Fan knee brace" made by New Options Sports, "K4-F Fan Knee Stabilizer Diamond X Theory". Several snow skiers preferred the Fan Brace to their custom braces.
Sounds like a lot of bad knees out there?
Sounds like a lot of bad knees out there?
OP
SanFranDiver
Contributor
[ Note: This is a copy of several postings I made in the Force Fins forum because I was having some difficulties learning how to use my new Force Fins. ]
Tuesday Aug 25: Just got my Original FFs yesterday and snorkeled around the pool. I could swim on my back, do frog kicks, helicopter turn, reverse, BUT NOT SURFACE FLUTTER KICKS.
Seems with my booties and the FFs, my feet are right at the surface and I was stuck in neutral and/or my fins kept shooting out of the water on the recovery stroke. Unless I solve this "little problem" I could have trouble swimming from the back of the boat to the anchor line in challenging seas.
Wednesday Aug 26: So I figured that if I couldn't do a flutter kick at the surface, the solution would be to try it at the bottom of the pool. I got a 50AL from my LDS ('cause I didn't think I'd need an entire 80AL).
So here's the picture: a 50 instead of an 80, booties that could float a treasure chest, and FFs which are significantly less heavy than my split fins.
Commence the dive. Instead of my usual foot-dragging trim, I'm now doing headstands, with my ass and fins pointing to the sky. Additionally, due to the change in lift @ my feet, I can't keep my legs straight and flutter kick from the hips. Instead, my knees insist on bending, and my leg muscles (did I mention that I got the FFs because of knee problems and weak quads?) almost don't have the strength to go from bent-knee to fully-extended leg.
The awkward forward propulsion I managed to achieve was about 1/4 the speed of my split-fin flutter kick.
Unless someone has some suggestions, I don't think I currently have the leg strength to push the FFs thru the water using a flutter kick (or a scissor kick).
. . . .
I'm not giving up, but I am puzzled as to what to do next. Maybe 1 pound weights on each ankle to level me off and un-bend my knees?
Tuesday Aug 25: Just got my Original FFs yesterday and snorkeled around the pool. I could swim on my back, do frog kicks, helicopter turn, reverse, BUT NOT SURFACE FLUTTER KICKS.
Seems with my booties and the FFs, my feet are right at the surface and I was stuck in neutral and/or my fins kept shooting out of the water on the recovery stroke. Unless I solve this "little problem" I could have trouble swimming from the back of the boat to the anchor line in challenging seas.
Wednesday Aug 26: So I figured that if I couldn't do a flutter kick at the surface, the solution would be to try it at the bottom of the pool. I got a 50AL from my LDS ('cause I didn't think I'd need an entire 80AL).
So here's the picture: a 50 instead of an 80, booties that could float a treasure chest, and FFs which are significantly less heavy than my split fins.
Commence the dive. Instead of my usual foot-dragging trim, I'm now doing headstands, with my ass and fins pointing to the sky. Additionally, due to the change in lift @ my feet, I can't keep my legs straight and flutter kick from the hips. Instead, my knees insist on bending, and my leg muscles (did I mention that I got the FFs because of knee problems and weak quads?) almost don't have the strength to go from bent-knee to fully-extended leg.
The awkward forward propulsion I managed to achieve was about 1/4 the speed of my split-fin flutter kick.
Unless someone has some suggestions, I don't think I currently have the leg strength to push the FFs thru the water using a flutter kick (or a scissor kick).
. . . .
I'm not giving up, but I am puzzled as to what to do next. Maybe 1 pound weights on each ankle to level me off and un-bend my knees?
Last edited:
Hi SanFranDiver:
In your opinion, do you think that the force required to move the fin through the water causes the pain in your knees or is it the length/type of fining stroke? If it's the former, I'm surprised a pair of split fins didn't help your situation.
I have a pair of Apollo Bio Fins and I can hardly feel them in the water. They certainly have far less resistance then my old Mares Avanti Quattro fins. You might be able to counter act the face down position by mounting your BCD strap higher on your tank, if possible. You could try ankle weights but I'm not sure if it will cause greater discomfort to your legs/knees.
.
What I wouldn't give to run again (too many years of playing tennis on hard courts)
Claude
In your opinion, do you think that the force required to move the fin through the water causes the pain in your knees or is it the length/type of fining stroke? If it's the former, I'm surprised a pair of split fins didn't help your situation.
I have a pair of Apollo Bio Fins and I can hardly feel them in the water. They certainly have far less resistance then my old Mares Avanti Quattro fins. You might be able to counter act the face down position by mounting your BCD strap higher on your tank, if possible. You could try ankle weights but I'm not sure if it will cause greater discomfort to your legs/knees.
.
What I wouldn't give to run again (too many years of playing tennis on hard courts)
Claude
I changed to split fins because I have arthritis in both knees. I have no trouble with any of the kicks.. have no trouble finning in current and they have alleviated the knee pain I experienced from paddle fins.
OP
SanFranDiver
Contributor
It's not so much the pain, it's my limited ability to physically push the ForceFins (or any other stiffer paddle fin) thru the water with a flutter kick or scissor kick. I have Tusa Xpert Zoom split-fins, with which I can do a flutter/scissor, but I was having trouble trying to do a frog, helicopter, or reverse kick with the split fins.
I hoped that with the radical difference in the design of the Force Fins (compared to JetFins, USDiver Rocker, or USDiver Shredder) and the greater flexibility of the FFs rubber compound (coupled with the FFs much shorter length as compared to my TUSAs) would enable me to do all the kicks with the FF.
I'm going to continue experimenting with the FFs.
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