Question about ankle pain with fins

[nlo]

Hi,

I'm new to scuba and just got through my confined dives in NYC. I bought a pair of fins (Scuba pro - Sport jet) and they seem to give me a lot of cramps/ pain on both feet while doing the confined diving.

JET SPORT - SCUBAPRO

Do you think this will change over time as my body adjusts? and as the fin (hopefully) gets less stiff (if they do at all). My feet fit well with booties on and I don't think the size is the issue. It just feels like my ankles are at hyper extension when I'm moving with them in the water. I tried on a pair of split fins and they were much easier on my ankles.

What do you think? Am I just moving wrong in the water? I'm trying to use my glutes and upper leg muscles as the instructor told me. But any suggestions would help. Should I get fins with less drag/ resistance?


Thanks

 

[fjpatrum]

I've heard of a lot of new divers having this (and I'm still new). I've had minor fatigue before but it's usually my shins, rather than my ankles and it's from kicking hard, in my case.

Yes it will change with some experience and exercise of the muscles you're using in a new way. I'd also consider trying a few sets of fins to see if any others are more comfortable for you. Not everyone is built the same way and not every fin fits every diver.

Moving "wrong" in the water is a possibility but without seeing you very few people would try to diagnose that.

 

[TSandM]

Split fins always make people feel better, because they present less resistance to the water (and by extension, less resistance to human structures in ankles and knees).

If you have no preexisting problems with your joints or muscles, there is every likelihood that you will adapt to the use of fins. If the primary issue is cramping, THIS article may be of use.

 

[danvolker]

Hi,

I'm new to scuba and just got through my confined dives in NYC. I bought a pair of fins (Scuba pro - Sport jet) and they seem to give me a lot of cramps/ pain on both feet while doing the confined diving.

JET SPORT - SCUBAPRO

Do you think this will change over time as my body adjusts? and as the fin (hopefully) gets less stiff (if they do at all). My feet fit well with booties on and I don't think the size is the issue. It just feels like my ankles are at hyper extension when I'm moving with them in the water. I tried on a pair of split fins and they were much easier on my ankles.

What do you think? Am I just moving wrong in the water? I'm trying to use my glutes and upper leg muscles as the instructor told me. But any suggestions would help. Should I get fins with less drag/ resistance?


Thanks

Another possibility for foot cramps, is the shape of the foot pocket when tight enough, is pushing your arch downward, and it is unsupported.... this is a huge issue in ski Boots, in rollerblade boots, in running shoes, and is typically unrecognized in diving....but I think it is a comon problem.
If you are using a bootie, see if you can fit a custom arch support into it....here is one result of a quick google search I just did....Superfeet insoles Green $31.46 Free shipping Superfeet shoe inserts arch supports and this is the type of support I am talking about...but I imagine you can find much cheaper.
You don't need one that is about impact, it just needs to have the right hieght for your arch, it should stabilize your foot over your ankle ( so the ankle rests straight over the foot) --which could make your kicking more powerful without effort in people that had weak floppy ankles before) and it should look fairly waterproof ( should probably NOT be leather).

 

[LivBlue]

I had some muscle cramps while wearing some Zooms and changed them out thinking they fit incorrectly. I moved to some BioFins and I'm not saying the brand fixed the issu but the foot pocket fit really different. Also they allowed for a bit shorter kick, which I have. Possibly think about how you kick and match a fin up for that style. Also look at your foot pocket for gaps, toes hitting, ect and see if you think the pocket is a good fit.

 

[aquaregia]

When I first started I had fatigue pain in my shins and some in my instep. It went away by 20 dives or so. Some of that was probably kicking much, much less.

 

[soltari675]

My ankles and feet would get fatigued when I first started diving. Sometimes cramp up. After doing a few dives and using my fins regularly, even when swimming, it stopped. The muscles adjusted and I was fine with my fins.

 

[flots am]

I'm new to scuba and just got through my confined dives in NYC. I bought a pair of fins (Scuba pro - Sport jet) and they seem to give me a lot of cramps/ pain on both feet while doing the confined diving.

If the fins are too big, your feet will cramp because you're keeping them bent all the time to keep the fins from flopping around.

If they're the right size, your options are pretty much:

• Softer fins, like the Twin-Jets
• Stronger muscles and better joints
• Less (and gentler) kicking

If you're going to be diving a lot (a few times/week), you'll probably get used to the fins. If you're diving less than that, you should probably go for the Twin-jets, which are quite a bit easier on your joints.

flots.

 

[boat sju]

I'm not sure if this is what flots was getting at too, but make sure you're not scrunching up your toes. I've found myself doing that, almost as a nervous habit.

Also, try using a frog kick some to use different muscles. My Slipstreams are so stiff I really never flutter kick at all.

 

[nlo]

Hey thanks for the reply dan. You know, now that you mentioned it, the pain I got from the fins is the same pain I feel when I'm wearing rollerblades. It's more on the lateral side of my feet (on the outside), not so much the arch though.

Thanks for all the helpful input everyone