SCUBA, sailing, swimming, etc

[Deleted]

I have returned to SCUBA, snorkelling,  swimming, sailing and other similar sports since my injury.  If anyone wants information or to talk, write or skype me.

[davepepperman]

Dear Jill,

I'm a brand new amputee (February) with a below knee amputation. I still haven't got my prosthetic limb as yet but I want to go snorkelling when I go on holiday this year. I saw reference to a post earlier about a 'water leg'. Do they really exist, or is somebody pulling my leg?

Dave

[cherylm]

Well, I wish Jill -- or someone else with SCUBA experience -- had checked in here, Dave...I can tell you some about water legs, but I've never used one to dive.

A water leg can be everything from an old socket coupled with some rust-free connectors and a plain rubber "hoof" as a foot to lovely, expensive constructions with fully articulated ankles that can be shifted and locked so that you can wear a swim fin. My own water leg is far closer to the "basic" model than anything a genuine swimmer might use. Mostly it lets me stand in the shower, do water aerobics in the pool, get in and out of boats, and swim VERY clumsily for fairly short distances.

Some water legs (mine included) can be unusually buoyant, so I'm assuming that carrying an appropriate amount of weight when diving would be important. Ask you prosthetist if they can refer you to a similar amp who snorkels or does SCUBA...that would be a great resource for you!

Hope you get some great diving done and see some beautiful stuff!

[4winds2015]

Jill

I just got a Otto Bock X3, you can use this in the water, what I am finding is the water is getting down in my socket. What do you use to keep the water from entering the socket? I was thinking about getting a pair of neoprene shorts. Do you think they keep the water from getting into my socket?

Thanks

Mark

[Deleted]

I think that the best approach, from people I met when I was active in this, is not to wear any pros.

What you do is to modify your kicking style. Instead of the alternating legs type kick that two legged people use, learn to move your body like
A dolphin, kind of undulating from the chest all the day down. You don't "kick" your leg at all, just move your entire torso.

The best reference is the handicapped scuba association,

www.hsascuba.com/

That's just my opinion.

Write to me for more details or the names of some of my friends who have similar problems.

[Deleted]

Also, see, for example, m.sunlive.co.nz/news/130588-printing-up-artificial-limbs.html