Following a Symes amputation of his foot, Harry uses his shinfinTM fin for training sessions with his swim team. This helps him to swim faster and develop his thigh muscles. This is because shinfin™ fins guide him to kick from his hips. So they encouage proper streamlined swimming kicks for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. Even with amputations, it is usually best to wear a pair of shinfinTM fins for a proper balanced stroke.
Brenda’s review from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
“My 12 year old grandson had a Symes amputation due to a road traffic accident 18 months ago. He has been training with our local swim team. He is as fast and even faster than some of his peers, with or without his shinfinTM fin, but needs the shinfinTM fin for his thigh muscle development.”
Brenda’s review: Team training fins for Symes foot amputation
“I bought the shinfinTM fin for Harry my 12 year old grandson who had a Symes amputation due to a road traffic accident 18 months ago. He has been training with our local swim team (always been a good swimmer) and uses his shinfinTM fin with his normal flipper on the other foot and up to now everything is going swimmingly.”
“He is as fast and even faster than some of his peers, with or without his shinfinTM fin, but needs the shinfinTM fin for his thigh muscle development.”
Reply
It is great to hear how your grandson is going so well using his shinfin™ fin for swim training with his swim team, following his Symes amputation.
By the way, his swimming (with and without fins) is likely to improve further if he wears a shinfin™ fin on his other leg as well. This is because a balanced kick with two shinfin™ fins is like a more powerful version of normal swimming kicks for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. Wearing a foot fin is likely causing him to bend that knee more than he should for a good streamlined swimming kick.
Can I ask a favour please? Would you mind if I put some extracts from your emails on the website? Any questions just ask. I am here to help your grandson get the best from his swimming.
Brenda
“I don’t have any objections to you using our comments. I will pass your comments to his Swim England coach when I see him.”
Reply
Thank you for your kind permission and for passing my comments to his Swim England coach. Please also tell him that he can contact me directly if he would like to discuss things further. Personal recommendation is very important to help a new product like this along, so I really appreciate it. The shinfin™ word is spreading well thanks to people like you.
Conclusion
With a Symes or other foot amputation, you can use shinfinTM fins for rehabilitation and swim team training. For proper balanced strokes, it is generally still best to wear a pair of shinfinTM fins with an amputation. They will help you to develop your thigh muscles and swim faster. This is because shinfin™ fins guide you into a hip powered kick. So they encouage proper streamlined swimming kicks for freestyle, backstroke and butterfly.
Related reviews show shinfinTM fins being used for national team freestyle training, for open water training and for triathlon training. A further review demonstrates how they strengthen kicks with muscle memory, so their benefits transfer to swimming without fins too. Another review shows the fins being used for swim exercise with foot drop and peripheral neuropathy.