Where in California are you. I have taught double amputees and single leg amputees. We should talk as the advice needs to fit the person and situation. Several ways to skin this cat and organizations that may be willing to help. I will PM you.
Want to dive again, Need a swim ankle
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Bucnhot what are your concerns? I'm a recent below knee amputee and my imediate solutions are entry/exit wear my leg in my dry suit While swimming use two fins doing a modified flutter with a dpv to assist with long swins, if I have a dpv failure I can still swim back using my good leg
In 6-8 months my insurance will pay for a follow on socket and I will set up my current socket to build a swim leg.
Randy
In 6-8 months my insurance will pay for a follow on socket and I will set up my current socket to build a swim leg.
Randy
Lizard Leg
Contributor
Randy, if the socket in you're in right now is a "check" socket of thermoformed plastic, be careful. My first dive leg I built from one of these and it didn't last very long. The stress of kicking on the adapter attachment to the bottom of the socket cracked the plastic within just a few dives, and almost lost my fist dive leg when it broke and fell off, even with a fiberglass reinforcement laid over the attachment.
My everyday setup on land is a reinforced carbon fiber socket (they throw on an extra layer of Kevlar/nylon/carbon for me - I'm rough on my gear!) with an Otto Bock Titan foot module, and the Otto Bock HD Harmony Elevated Vacuum system. I leave all of this on and once on the boat and gear is squared away, I loosen the front and outside adjustment screws enough to take the entire vacuum system/foot module assembly off - liner/socket/sleeve stays on. The hose for the vacuum has an extra check valve, so I maintain the vacuum, and I carry a brake bleeder vacuum pump in case I do need to top off the vacuum. The dive leg then slips over the pyramid adapter and the front and outside adjustment screws tightened to lock in place - the other two top adjustment screws on both pylon/foot assemblies is loctite'd to ensure I do not lose my alignment. Takes me about a minute tops. The only extra gear I have to bring on the boat is a "leg" towel in case water gets in the sleeve/liner, and the hand vacuum pump. The t-handle allen wrench stays clipped off to my gear bag all the time anyway.
Another thing - I change all of the screws - clamp screws, adjustment screws, etc. - to high grade stainless and use a little anti-seize on them. Before I did this, ended up at a machine shop a few times to get corroded/gaulded screws drilled out. It's amazing how fast the stock screws will corrode/rust/seize on you in salt water.
For the OP - Diving with a prosthetic is 100% doable and enjoyable. Again, I will emphasize the point - ymmv - But I strongly suggest that you practice diving WITHOUT the prosthetic on, and taking it off underwater. In my mind it's just another piece of dive gear to learn and be familiar with. If a sleeve leaks and the liner gets water inside, the whole thing wants to slide off. I use an old snorkel keeper around the dive leg pylon - If I have to take it off at depth, I just clip it off to my BC and both hands are free. For me swimming with one leg is doable, but a royal PIA vs. two legs.
You have a want and a need. That need is a really-nice-to-have thing I am sure. I cannot offer advice on prosthetics legs, but I hope that some of my experiences would be helpful. You may already know some or all of these. Anyway...
1) The one legged dolphin kick
Diving using one fin only is perfectly doable, as stated above. I have done that as needed, when a leg cramp has made me one legged for a moment. I keep legs together and use the one legged dolphin kick. You may consider a freediving fin for that.
2) Using your hands
I know a person who sits in a wheelchair yet enjoys diving. He is using his hands. He dives in a drysuit, which obviously presents some challenges, but those have been overcome. Lesson learnt: legs not strictly needed. And personal experience: I once forgot both my fins. The resulting drysuit dive was 'interesting' (my legs had a life of their own), but I finally got in touch with the situation, stabilized, and spent half an hour submerged, swimming around, with my hands only. Breast strokes. The speed was slow, though. With one fully functioning leg you should be just fine
I hope that you get that specialized diving ankle, though. It is also worth looking at some freedivers and how they use their hands for propulsion.
3) Turns with hands only
Turns, even stationary 180 degree turns with precision control, can be made by hands alone. I do have two legs, but I just love to turn using my hands. I use this technique a lot. Especially when hovering. Keep the palm down while bringing the hand to the side. The turn the hand 90 deg, up, and push the water to turn. Then turn the palm down again, to the side, up, and push.
4) Reversing with hands only
To reverse, just push water forward with your hands. Again, keep palms down when bringing hands back, then turn them vertical, and push. Repeat. It's kind of an inverse breast stroke. This works nicely.
I love to freedive backwards using this method. One can get up to decent speed, too. Also good for lazy minor adjustments, and for reversing while pushing that fishing net away.
1) The one legged dolphin kick
Diving using one fin only is perfectly doable, as stated above. I have done that as needed, when a leg cramp has made me one legged for a moment. I keep legs together and use the one legged dolphin kick. You may consider a freediving fin for that.
2) Using your hands
I know a person who sits in a wheelchair yet enjoys diving. He is using his hands. He dives in a drysuit, which obviously presents some challenges, but those have been overcome. Lesson learnt: legs not strictly needed. And personal experience: I once forgot both my fins. The resulting drysuit dive was 'interesting' (my legs had a life of their own), but I finally got in touch with the situation, stabilized, and spent half an hour submerged, swimming around, with my hands only. Breast strokes. The speed was slow, though. With one fully functioning leg you should be just fine
I hope that you get that specialized diving ankle, though. It is also worth looking at some freedivers and how they use their hands for propulsion.3) Turns with hands only
Turns, even stationary 180 degree turns with precision control, can be made by hands alone. I do have two legs, but I just love to turn using my hands. I use this technique a lot. Especially when hovering. Keep the palm down while bringing the hand to the side. The turn the hand 90 deg, up, and push the water to turn. Then turn the palm down again, to the side, up, and push.
4) Reversing with hands only
To reverse, just push water forward with your hands. Again, keep palms down when bringing hands back, then turn them vertical, and push. Repeat. It's kind of an inverse breast stroke. This works nicely.
I love to freedive backwards using this method. One can get up to decent speed, too. Also good for lazy minor adjustments, and for reversing while pushing that fishing net away.
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Swim Again
New
Hey I just saw your post and I think I can help you I am an amputee also Laka I also dive a ew years ago I wanted to get back in the water so I designed an ankle that is maintenance free and will last a life time for a small fraction of the cost. We put this on the market to help people more than to make money if it sounds like something that can help you go to www.swimagain.com and check it out. Good luck I hope you get back in the water soon.
SoCalRich
Contributor
Greetings Bucnhot,
Mel Pasley and his group train single, double amputees and others with even more severe injuries. With your 200+ dives, you will be diving in no time. Drop me a line, I will be your dive buddy when you are ready to hit the water again.
Good Divin
SoCalRich
Mel Pasley and his group train single, double amputees and others with even more severe injuries. With your 200+ dives, you will be diving in no time. Drop me a line, I will be your dive buddy when you are ready to hit the water again.
Good Divin
SoCalRich
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