Fins and leg cramps..any relation? Need help.

[BRT]

Potassium is still the trick for me in stopping cramps whether diving or sleeping. My drug of choice is low sodium V8 juice because it has more potassium than regular V8 juice. I'm sure there are lots of reasons for cramps but not enough potassium is one of them.

 

[diver0008]

This is so ridiculous.

In my opinion, it certainly has become so. All this talk of fin styles, vitmain supplements, etc.

A little bit of exercise and stretching, and proper finning TECHNIQUE I suspect would alleviate the OP's discomfort.

Slow down, kick less, kick properly, and relax.

JHC.

 

[chillyinCanada]

This is so ridiculous. It is the quality of the diver that can make a fin work or not. If you don't agree, just come down to San Antonio and go diving with John Duggan, Duggan Diving, and you will understand what I am talking about. Just like golfers and golf clubs, or tennis players and tennis racquets, etc., it is all about the skill of the user and not the design of the tool. As far as damage to the reef, silting up the dive environment, etc., I have seen far more poor performance from divers wearing paddle fins, and the reason for that is they are crappy divers wearing paddle fins they own or rent. In addition, with the exception of people of this board, most divers would not know a frog, helicopter, or back kick from a karate kick, and could care less.

Uh, I think you're pretty much making my case for me here, inasmuch as, you've pointed out that most divers aren't your buddy Duggan.

You're taking this pretty personally. Would you like some duct tape
to fix your split fins?

 

[sealark]

start walking every morning and lighter fins help. Full foot fins are better for me anyway. I can't wear strap fins they cramp my cafes. The lighter fins you kick more but you will get use to them easily. Try to use the fins often like a couple times a week. Gotta stay in shape.

 

[Altamira]

Uh, I think you're pretty much making my case for me here, inasmuch as, you've pointed out that most divers aren't your buddy Duggan.

You're taking this pretty personally. Would you like some duct tape
to fix your split fins?

Not taking any comments about split fins personally, nor do I need any duct tape, but thank you anyway. I started diving with U.S. Divers full foot paddle fins in the 1965-74 time frame, and used Jets when I came back to diving in 2010, so I am not unfamiliar with the fin type. I currently use Apollo Bios because with a knee and hip replacement, plus the other knee rapidly heading in that direction, I found the Bios allow me to dive without joint pain, and without silting up or damaging the diving environment (and I am not even in the same universe of diving ability as John Duggan). In addition, I am following the advice about switching to splits from my physician who is an ex-Navy dive doc. And no, I did not get them as a gift. I actually bought them with my own money. If I thought Jets or any other paddle fin would improve my diving experience at this stage of my life, I can afford to buy them. After watching competent divers using paddles and splits, I am convinced that it is the user and not the fin that makes the difference. I do however, get somewhat perplexed by people that are so convinced in their beliefs that they are unable to acknowledge that what is best for them is not necessarily what is best for all others.

 

[USdiver1]

While some people are more prone to cramping, everybody is susceptible to it. Here is what I do to avoid leg/foot cramps while using fins:

1) I swim with fins (full foot Mares Avantis) in a pool approximately one mile, three times a week to practice / keep in shape for diving.
2) I eat a banana a few hours prior to swimming / diving, and take a multi-vitamin daily.
3) I stay hydrated with fresh H2O.
4) I wear appropriate thermal protection for the conditions where I am swimming / diving.
5) I vary my kicks to not overuse any specific set of muscles.
6) For open healed fins (USD Super Rockets), I use neoprene boots with hard soles (seem to fit the pockets of my fins better and leads to less movement of my feet within the pockets).
7) I periodically use the technique to relieve cramps (grab the tip of the fin, extend leg) even when I do not have symptoms of a cramp, just to stretch out my muscles.

I still get the occasional cramp, but it is usually very mild and can be worked out in a matter of less than a minute. Your performance may vary.

 

[TMHeimer]

In my opinion, it certainly has become so. All this talk of fin styles, vitmain supplements, etc.

A little bit of exercise and stretching, and proper finning TECHNIQUE I suspect would alleviate the OP's discomfort.

Slow down, kick less, kick properly, and relax.

JHC.

You may be correct. Or not. I always did all those things and still severly cramped until the potassium pills & splits.

USdiver1: good points. I would guess (don't know) you would have to eat a banana every day to get the same results as a potassium pill a day, no?
Agree it makes sense to wear appropriate thermal protection--obviously not only to avoid cramping. But prior to pills/splits I severly cramped in all conditions from near freezing water to the tropics. And there were many times I didn't cramp wearing my 7 mil farmer john with water temps. in the mid-high 30s F.

I guess we could go round and round on this, but I believe the answer is what RyanT and I agree on--everybody's physiology differs. Best to maybe ask a doctor and figure out what works best for you.

 

[dmaziuk]

While some people are more prone to cramping, everybody is susceptible to it. Here is what I do to avoid leg/foot cramps while using fins:

1) I swim with fins (full foot Mares Avantis) in a pool approximately one mile, three times a week to practice / keep in shape for diving.
...

Actually you're better off in a short swim fins (that also cost half as much as avantis) -- but that is a great advice and I promise: if you start your thrice-weekly workout with 1,000 yards with kickboard in zoomers for a few years, you won't have leg cramps while diving. Ask me how I know.

There's only one small problem: access to the pool.

 

[TMHeimer]

My 73 year old brother has been doing pool laps regularly for at least 40 (maybe 50) years and still does amateur swim competitions, occasionally winning first place in his age category (although admittedly, a fair bit of his competition over the years are no longer with us). He also has an impeccable diet, so he says. Last month on the 2 mile swim he took first again--2 miles in under 52 minutes. Two years ago he had a lousy time due to bad cramping. My guess is the same situation may apply to diving, IF you are prone to cramping.

 

[dmaziuk]

My 73 year old brother has been doing pool laps regularly for at least 40 (maybe 50) years and still does amateur swim competitions, occasionally winning first place... Two years ago he had a lousy time due to bad cramping.

I doubt it means what you think it means. I get leg cramps too, e.g. when I've been out of the pool for a month and then I jump back in and try to do my usual norm. On your average dive you're looking at very different load than when going competition speed or a workout course. As in not even in the same ballpark -- an Al80 would last you about 15 minutes if you tried. That said, there are bad days and they tend to get worse with age.

On the flip side I can usually feel the cramp coming and e.g. switch to a different kick before the muscle seizes. You learn to just deal with it and keep going, that's how you "show lousy time" with bad cramps instead of bailing out. Some people apparently kick the wall at the turn hard enough to "knock the cramp away". I always push off with the other leg myself: I find the push-off makes my cramps worse.

That's why I believe swimmers make much better divers: we're used to water up our noses and in our airways, leg cramps, controlled mouth-breathing, and of course streamline and trim.