Fin Recommendations for a Bad Knee

[Bob Evans]

Hello Mr. Evans,

I just wanted to say thank you for the fins you designed. A good friend of mine turned me on to your fins back in the late 2000's trying to help me out with my knee issues while diving. As someone who has had major knee issues I can attest to your fins making a vast difference in stresses on the knees while diving. I gave all my other fins away to friends and have only used my force fins for the last 15+ years when diving. The difference in mechanics to drive your fins vs "regular" fins makes all the difference in the world to my knees. I just wanted to say thank you, and I hope you are having a great day.

Thank you from a big force fin fan,

ej

Wow, kind of depressed looking at the news and then your email. Your comments mean more to me than the news. Thank you very much. Love, Bob Evans. Working remotely in Seattle let me know if you're in town, and

we will make treat you to lunch at our 1920 Fisherman hut.

 

[PR_SMITH]

Going to sidemount can reduce the drag in water, compared to backmount. So this makes finning a bit easier, and therefor being kinder to knees. SM tanks can be placed in the water one at a time, which also helps reduce the load on the knees.

 

[Green Frog]

Just an observation… I had knee replacement (right only) done four years ago and hadn’t dived since. While planning my recent trip to Nassau I went to see Chip at Dive Connections in Charlottesville, VA and he turned me on to Mares Plana (full foot) fins. They worked great for me, bum knee and all, with the only disadvantage in packing… they are very long.
Froggie

 

[RobPNW]

I did the Roatan trip with the Scubapro Go Sports and they worked great. Only issue was back finning but my technique isn't there yet anyway.

 

[boulderjohn]

I was right where you are nearly 20 years ago, and I bought a pair of fins for exactly the same reason. I sold my old fins. My right knee got increasingly worse, and I finally had it replaced in 2007. Suddenly I was having no trouble. That was also when I started to learn tech diving and worked hard to learn good frog kicking, etc. Suddenly I didn't want those fins I had just bought, and I wished I had my old fins back. In the years that followed, I have used nothing but the thick side-walled, stiff fins you are looking to avoid.

So now it is 16 years later, and my left knee is worse than my right knee was back then. It will be replaced later this year. But here is the key point: I have no trouble kicking with those thick side-walled, stiff fins. It doesn't hurt at all.

I'm guess I just figured out what I was doing over those years. I now have two pairs of fins, and I choose them based on their weights. One set is very heavy, and the other is very light.

 

[Boarderguy]

@RobPNW @Marie13

 

[formernuke]

I'm there as well.

 

[Bubblesong]

Cut your fins down shorter to relieve strain. Try it on some ratty old fins if you don’t want to risk your new ones.