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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.

  • Pool, snorkel & dive: transtibial amputee fins

    Mike, a transtibial (below knee) amputee, loves his shinfinTM fins, starting with pool laps then open water swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Most important, to optimise water balance he wears one fin on his stump and the other on his full leg. Furthermore, he loves the fact that he can adjust the fin heights and angles on his legs. So he can experiment to get the most comfortable fin placements.

    Mike’s review from Homestead, USA

    “I love the fins! It is so nice not swimming in left hand circles:) No really, I am so happy with the shinfinTM fins and I love being back in the water. I love being able to do laps in the pool and getting ready for open water soon. Thanks for the fins! A happy shinfinTM fins owner.”

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  • Bilateral below knee amputee prostheses fins

    Peter, a custom prosthetics manufacturer, strapped shinfinTM fins to the prostheses they made for a bilateral below knee amputee. This works because the fins adjust and flex to fit prostheses, just like they fit thin legs and large legs. Firstly, the client trialled shinfinTM fins strapped on prosthetic test sockets and he was very pleased with the results. So then they made his definitive prosthetic sockets and strapped the fins on them. He was so happy swimming in the pool and ocean with those, that he ordered a spare set of shinfinTM fins. Alternatively, please note that you can also strap shinfinTM fins directly onto your stump if it is long enough. So the choice is yours.

    Peter’s review from Broken Head, Australia

    “I have attached a photo of the completed prosthetic swim legs using the shinfinTM fins. The client is very happy with them and has asked us to order him a spare set.”

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  • Below knee transtibial amputation fins

    Brian has a below knee (transtibial) amputation and shinfinTM fins have worked great for his fitness swimming for many years. He wears one fin in the standard position on his full leg and the other fin on the thigh of his amputated leg (similarly to an above knee amputee). However, please note that most transtibial amputees fit the fin below their knee, if their stump is long enough, because the knee joint improves control of the fin. So the fins give him balanced propulsion and help keep his legs horizontal. They also strengthen his thighs and lower back. Most importantly, this strengthening also helps his walking with a prosthesis. As a prosthetist, Brian has recommended them to many of his patients over the years, as an invaluable aid for transtibial amputees.

    Brian’s review from Victoria, Canada

    “They work great! I got them for fitness training when I was on the Canadian Paralympic Sailing Team. We swim for an hour, three times a week. I use them for freestyle, backstroke, flutter board and breaststroke; I do the breaststroke with a flutter kick. The shinfinTM fins provide propulsion on my amputated side. They also help to get my legs horizontal in the water. Plus provide resistance to strengthen my thighs and low back. Which helps the biomechanics of walking with a prosthesis. shinfinTM fins are an invaluable aid for transtibial amputees. Keep up the good work!”

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  • Stuff you need to know before or after leg amputation

    Bill shares his overall story to help amputees learn what they need to know before or after their leg amputation. His recreational therapy section discusses his swimming with shinfinTM fins, which he expands upon in swimming with fins after amputation. Bill’s story encourages above knee amputees, below knee amputees and foot amputees to (re)learn how to swim after amputation.

    Bill’s review from O’Fallon, USA

    “I learned that swimming helped me regain my strength and endurance. I use a shinfinTM fin on my remnant leg and also on my good leg to give me speed and a good workout. The shinfinTM fins can also be used for BKAs. Using the shinfinTM fin on my remnant leg strengthened and helped remove the excess fluids. I also wear my liner for comfort and it gives the shinfinTM fin more grip to stay on.”

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  • Swimming with fins after amputation

    Swimming with shinfinTM fins was one of Bill’s first steps in his return to physical and emotional health, after his above knee amputation. Wearing one fin on his thigh stump and one fin on the shin of his other leg, they give him a natural swim kick with smooth stroke balance. He prefers wearing the fins without his prosthetic leg but they can be worn on a prosthetic leg too. He also notes that they can be worn by below knee amputees (also foot amputees). Bill’s expanded story is Stuff you need to know before or after leg amputation.

    Bill’s review from O’Fallon, USA

    “shinfinTM fins are the perfect choice for amputees because they attach to your legs instead of your feet. This provides many benefits such as a natural swim kick.”

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  • Above knee amputee: snorkeling with prosthetic leg fins

    Shaun is an above knee amputee who snorkels wearing a pair of shinfinTM fins, one fin on his prosthetic leg and the other fin on his shin. He is very happy with them, especially because of the easier water entry, water exit and streamlined kicking propulsion technique. Also, he highly values that the fins are light and compact enough to fit into his small carry-on backpack, for ultralight traveling. His story is very useful for above knee amputees and below knee amputees swimming with waterproof prosthetic legs, for snorkeling and other water activities too.

    Shaun’s review from Redondo Beach, USA

    “The shinfinTM fins worked great for me and had a ton of benefits. Overall I couldn’t be happier.”

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  • Freestyle & butterfly: help for amputation below knee fins

    Anthony has a below knee amputation and finds that shinfinTM fins really help his freestyle and butterfly swimming techniques. So he wears one fin on his right lower leg and adjusts the other fin to fit the 8 inch (20 cm) stump of his left below knee amputation.

    Anthony’s review from Hong Kong

    “The shinfinTM fins work perfectly on me. They help a lot in freestyle and especially butterfly. For freestyle, they help to keep both legs in the correct kick actions. For butterfly, they help me to ‘feel’ the kick perfectly so that I know how to turn my body at the right timing.”

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  • Bilateral below knee amputee: exercise & weight loss fins

    Pegleg Jack, a bilateral below knee amputee, has been very happy swimming with his shinfinTM fins for many years, for exercise and weight loss.

    Pegleg Jack’s review from Jacksonville, USA

    “Being a bilateral bka, it sure has increased my level of exercise and I am loosing the weight that I need to. I am just glad that I found your wonderful product, that has helped me in many ways.” And 5 years later: “They are the greatest thing that I have found so far for swimming.”

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  • Bilateral below knee quad amputee: swim exercise fins

    Sami (Beth’s and Bill’s son), a quad amputee bilateral below knee, has been swimming with shinfinTM fins for many years, as a child to adult. The fins have adjusted as he grew and have proven strong to last many years. They make his swimming exercise so much easier and more fun. So much, that they have recommended the fins to other children and adults through the International Child Amputee Network.

    Beth’s & Bill’s review from Tuscon, USA

    “I want to thank you for inventing this wonderful device. My son swims for exercise and for fun and his shinfinTM fins have made this so much easier for him! Sami is now the Board President of the International Child Amputee Network (I-CAN) and we have recommended shinfinTM fins to other children and young adults through this organization.”

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