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Below knee amputation (BKA) fins reviews

shinfin™ fins give many helpful benefits for single and double below knee amputations (BKA), as seen in the BKA fin reviews below. Please also see the below knee amputation fins main article.

You can wear them on your BKA stump, with or without a stump sock. Or you can wear them on your waterproof BKA prosthesis. Because shinfin™ fins flex to match your stump or prosthesis shape, and the straps are highly adjustable, they fit whatever your choice.

If your stump is about 15 cm (6 inches) or longer, you will probably fit the fin directly on your stump. If your stump is shorter, or very tapered, a protective stump sock can increase the strap grip so you can fit the fin higher. What’s more, the straps can even cross behind your knee joint, with extra padding behind your knee. In all cases, your knee joint helps to control the fin angle.

Below knee amputee with shinfin™ fin on stump sock, rear view.
Below knee amputee with shinfin™ fin on stump sock.
Transtibial amputee, bent knee with shinfin™ fin, side view.
Transtibial amputee, bent knee with shinfin™ fin.
shinfin™ fins attached to bilateral below knee amputee prostheses.
shinfin™ fins attached to bilateral below knee amputee prostheses.

The following BKA reviews show that shinfin™ fins balance your stroke to give you smooth, horizontal swimming. It is generally best to wear two shinfin™ fins to optimise your water balance.  Single BKAs usually wear one fin on their stump and the other fin on their full leg. Double BKAs usually wear one fin on each stump. Furthermore, you can adjust the fin heights and fin angles to be different on each leg, to fine tune your kick balance.

Below knee amputees use shinfin™ fins for the same water activities as able-bodied people. From rehabilitation, exercise and weight loss, pool training and open water swimming, through to snorkeling and scuba diving. Read on for the below knee amputation fins reviews.

  • Triathlon training: bilateral below knee amputee

    Hannah really loves her shinfinTM fins for triathlon training, as a bilateral below knee amputee. She mainly swims freestyle in open water and pools. She finds that these fins give her a better workout because they lift her body horizontal and support a strong stroke balance. Furthermore, she finds that these fins improve her swimming form, which enters her muscle memory and so transfers to her swimming without fins in triathlon competitions. A paralympic athlete recommended shinfinTM fins to her and they have impressed her coaches as well. So now Hannah recommends them to other amputees too.

    shinfin™ fins for triathlon training on bilateral below knee amputee
    shinfinTM fins for triathlon training on bilateral below knee amputee

    Lee’s review from Coralville, USA

    “My daughter is a bilateral below knee amputee who competes in triathlons. She loves the shinfinTM fins. They have really helped her with improving her form and getting a better workout. Her coaches are very impressed with her fins and we have recommended them to other amputees that we know. She definitely feels that she is a stronger, better swimmer now. Even when she is not wearing them. Another paralympic athlete who is an amputee, recommended the shinfinTM fins to Hannah.”

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  • Weight loss rehabilitation fins: below knee amputee

    Tim swims freestyle with shinfinTM fins for rehabilitation and weight loss, to get the best workout to recover his fitness, following his below knee amputation. His fins have helped him lose a tremendous amount of weight. They have improved his hip abduction too. This is because his strong, lightweight shinfinTM fins are powered from his hips, using the stronger muscles in his thighs, buttocks and torso.

    Tim’s review from Rifle, USA

    “Over the past year, I have been swimming a lot for rehabilitation after having a BK (below knee) amputation on my right leg. I am swimming four miles a week at a recreation center here in Colorado. This regimen is the best way to get back in shape for an amputee! I have lost a tremendous amount of weight swimming. And the shinfinTM fins help with hip abduction as well! I am currently swimming freestyle. Thanks again, and I will stay in touch.”

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  • Snorkeling & scuba: below knee amputation fins

    Larry, a certified scuba diver with a below knee amputation, finds his shinfinTM fins great for snorkeling. He straps one fin over a silicone liner on his stump and the other fin in the usual position on his other leg. This is because the fins don’t need to be at the same height on each leg. His fins allow him to function even better in the water than he had hoped for. So this motivates him to train in the pool and get back into the ocean again.

    Larry’s review from Kansas, USA

    “This was our first cruise since my accident which resulted in a below the knee amputation of my left leg. I am PADI certified as a scuba diver and have come to love snorkeling with my wife. When we got to Cozumel we had a beach entry snorkeling trip set up and the fins worked great. I was able to function as well or better than I had hoped for. All in all I can’t thank you enough for a well thought out product at a very reasonable price. I will begin training in the pool and can’t wait to get back in the ocean.”

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  • Bilateral below-knee amputations swimming fins

    Doug’s shinfinTM fins enabled him to quickly return to his previous swimming level after his bilateral below-knee amputations. He finds his fins give him similar control, steering and stability as he had when he had feet. They also allow him to pull harder with his arms for powerful whole-body exercise. This is because the left fin kick balances his right arm pull and vice versa. He thinks he may eventually be a better swimmer with shinfinTM fins than he was before his amputations! He loves them so much he bought another pair so he is never without them, and to loan to friends.

    Doug’s review from Coquitlam, Canada

    “I had bilateral below–knee amputations last April, and my prosthetist told me about shinfinTM fins for swimming. I got mine in October, and they were an immediate success. I’ve been swimming regularly since, and found myself able to get back to my previous swimming level quite quickly, despite not having been able to swim for 2+ years. I now swim 2 km in under an hour, twice weekly. I have found the fins give me the same sort of stability, steering, and control that I had when I had feet. I’m now learning to use my legs for powerful kicking in a few ways. So I may eventually be better than I was before my amputations. I’m loving being back in the water.”

    “I really appreciate your passion and dedication to making the experience of using shinfinTM fins positive for so many people individually. I have, indeed, found that kicking with the shinfinTM fins opposite to my arm pulls, allows me to pull harder with my arms. They really help me make swimming even more of a whole-body exercise. I have ordered a second set of shinfinTM fins because my wife said I shouldn’t chance ever being without a pair. Also, I’m keen to let some of my friends with feet try them out (and I certainly don’t want to give mine up for that!).”

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  • Residual limb water exercise fin

    Rachel finds her shinfinTM fins great for moving better in the water, and for exercising her residual limb to build strength ready for using a prosthetic. She likes wearing one fin on her below knee amputation stump and kicking holding a float in front of her. Kicking with just her residual limb ensures that it does all the work. Furthermore, she finds this technique also builds her core strength because her core strength stops her rotating in the water. When she tried kicking without her shinfinTM fin, she found she didn’t seem to move anywhere! Later, she also started using her shinfinTM fin for front crawl, enjoying going faster. She plans to experiment wearing two shinfinTM fins in the pool, and also to swim in the sea.

    Rachel’s tibia is slightly protruding at the end of her stump. So she wears a modified diving sock to pad her stump, to stop it rubbing on the fin. Padding options include stump socks, neoprene knee supports and sleeves, wetsuits, and sleeves cut from wetsuit legs, arms and socks.

    Rachel’s review from Oxford, UK

    “I’ve been enjoying using the shinfinTM fin, which has enabled me to exercise my residual limb more and to move better in the water. So I wanted to find a way to exercise my residual limb, by increasing it’s resistance in the water, to maintain and build strength ready for using a prosthetic. Swimming with a float, leaving my healthy leg floating in the water, so my residual limb has to do all of the work. Initially, I tried doing this without a shinfinTM fin, but I didn’t seem to move anywhere!”

    “You recommend wearing shinfinTM fins on both legs. I haven’t done this yet, because I specifically wanted to work my residual limb really hard. Also, I find when swimming with just one shinfinTM fin, that I am using my core strength to stop me rotating in the water, which is also very useful exercise!”

    6 months later: “I’m getting on really well with the fin. I still only wear one and I mainly use it to exercise my residual limb, by swimming with a float and only using that leg. I’ve started doing a few lengths front crawl and I enjoy being able to go faster. I’m slowly increasing the number of lengths I do with the fin. It’s a great product and I’m really glad I found it.”

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  • Swim fin changed my life: below knee amputee

    Tracy is a below knee amputee whose shinfinTM swim fin has changed her life. She absolutely loves the improvement in her swimming style and the increase in speed. What’s more, her leg muscles, balance and mobility have all improved too. This is because shinfinTM fins encourage her to kick from her hips, strengthening the muscles in her thighs, buttocks and torso. They also encourage constant speed throughout her stroke. So Tracy swims about a mile most days, summer and winter.

    Tracy’s review from Cedar Rapids, USA

    “Thank you swim fin! I’m a below the knee amputee and use your fin just about every day. It’s made a difference in my mobility. The fin has helped my leg (Stella) develop muscle a lot faster than just walking. My balance has improved 300%. I recommended trying the fin out! You’ll be surprised at the results and it happens quickly. I swim a mile just about every day and my time improved by 8 minutes. In just a month!!!”

    One shinfin™ fin changed her life: below knee amputee
    One shinfinTM fin changed her life: below knee amputee
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  • Short stump propulsion below knee amputee fins

    Steve, a below knee amputee, definitely feels the extra propulsion from fitting one shinfinTM fin on his short 6 inch stump and the other fin on his other leg. This is because both fins combine to smooth his swimming stroke. They streamline his entire body and give him a smooth propulsion throughout his kick. They work so well that he finds he needs to tell his amputee friends, and others too.

    Steve’s review from Newhall, USA

    “My amputation is 6 inches below the knee. I could definitely feel the difference, mostly in the amount of additional propulsion. Yea, I really like these suckers. I try to promote them all the time. They work so well, I feel I need to let ohers know about them, especially my amputee friends. They are the bomb.”

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  • Below knee amputee triathlon training fins

    Andy, a below knee amputee who does triathlon swim training four times a week and is losing weight, finds his shinfinTM fins work really well. With one fin comfortable and secure on his stump and the other fin on his other leg, he finds moving around the pool much easier than with a conventional fin. He feels shinfinTM fins give him real propulsion from both legs, lifting his back end to make him more streamlined and faster. He also feels the fins encourage him to kick naturally from his hips using the stronger muscles in his stomach. What’s more, the fins help him swim much faster with a kickboard too.

    Andy’s review from Carnwath, UK

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  • Quad amputee snorkeling & surfboard fins

    Dawn, a quad amputee, felt like a mermaid wearing her shinfinTM fins on her legs for snorkeling, and also on her arms for paddling her surfboard. Dawn has one leg amputated just below the knee and the other leg amputated just above the knee. Her arms are amputated just below her elbows. When she wears the shinfinTM fins on her arms, she wears them on the underside of her arms with the fin tips pointing away from her shoulders. The fins can fit in all these different positions on Dawn’s arms and legs because the fins are made from flexible polyurethane and the rubber straps are highly adjustable.

    Cindy’s/Dawn’s review from Florida, USA

    “Cindy: I am so excited to find your invention. I have a girlfriend, Dawn, who was a very active athlete before losing all 4 limbs to amputation. Her legs were amputed one just below the knee and one just above the knee. Her arms are amputated just below the elbow. I wanted to let you know that she liked your fins. She wore them on her arms and was able to paddle on a surfboard as well as turn the board around (which she couldn’t do without the fins). She also wore the fins on her legs, and they worked pretty good to give her some additional propulsion.”

    “Dawn: Thanks for creating the fins. I felt like a mermaid :)!”

    Quad amputee with shinfin™ fins on arms paddling on surfboard: front view
    Quad amputee with shinfinTM fins on arms paddling on surfboard: front view
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  • Below knee amputee snorkeling: prosthetist recommends fins

    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.”

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