Don is a below knee amputee and his prosthetist recommended wearing shinfinTM fins on his prosthetic leg for snorkeling, which worked well for him. This is because shinfinTM fins are highly adjustable to fit comfortably on all sorts of prosthetic legs, from thin legs with narrow calves through to large legs with broad calves. He wears the other fin on his non-amputated leg in the normal position to give him a better kick.
Don’s review from North Andover, USA
“I am a below-knee amputee. Your product was recommended by my prosthetist. I strapped the right fin onto the prosthetic and it seemed to work well. So I imagine I could remove the prosthetic and strap the fin to my residual limb.”
Don’s review: Fins recommended by prosthetist for below knee amputee snorkeling
“I used my shinfinTM fins for the first time snorkeling in the Galapagos. I am a below-knee amputee. Your product was recommended by my prosthetist.”
“I strapped the right fin onto the prosthetic and it seemed to work well. So I imagine I could remove the prosthetic and strap the fin to my residual limb. About half of my right calf is still there. But I haven’t tried that yet.”
“Thanks for asking!”
Reply
That’s wonderful to hear. Did you find that the fins helped you to keep your hips straighter and your thighs and whole body more horizontal? Did they encourage a streamlined kick from your hips?
Yes, you could strap the fin to your residual limb instead and I’d love to hear how the two options compare for you please, if you do try it. Then perhaps I can offer you some extra guidance on getting the best from your fins.
Can I ask a favour please? Would you mind if I put some extracts from your emails on the web site? I think it would be useful for other people to read what you have said. So I’m trying to build up that section of the website to help people better.
Don
“Please feel free to use any quotes you would like. I have no pictures showing the shinfinTM fins from this trip, but if I take some later I will send some.”
Reply
Thank you for your kind permission Don. Personal recommendation is very important to help a new product like this along, so I really appreciate it.
Conclusion
As a below or above knee amputee, your prosthetist may recommend wearing shinfinTM fins on your prosthetic leg or directly on your stump, for snorkeling, swimming and other water activities. Either way will work well for you because shinfinTM fins fit comfortably on all sorts of prosthetic legs from thin legs with narrow calves through to large legs with broad calves, as they are highly adjustable. Furthermore, to give you a better kick, wear the other fin on your non-amputated leg in the normal position.
These reviews show a below knee amputee experimenting wearing one and two fins and an above knee amputee wearing one fin on his prosthetic leg and the other fin on his shin. These further reviews illustrate bilateral below knee amputees swimming and snorkeling with shinfinTM fins on both prosthetic legs, the latter with osseointegration prosthetics. This more general review gives you many helpful suggestions for before and after leg amputations.