Mermaiding with a disability

[LouLouBelle]

yeah we're actually going to cover a bit of this in my documentary I am being filmed for. my doctor is going to be interviewed, show my hips scans etc, and show the range of motion to really illustrate it for people.

That would be really interesting to see. Will the documentary be available online at any point?


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[AmyS]

AniaR, I would love to see your documentary when it is released. It sounds as though you have had a long career despite your condition - that's very inspiring.

[AmyS]

LeeniusUnicorn, thanks so much for the tip about waterproof tape. Perhaps I could place that over the top of the adhesive tape I require to shift my kneecaps into a more medial position and relieve the synovial impingement.

[AmyS]

Misty Lau, that must be a very difficult condition to live with. I'm glad you found a physical activity and means of self-expression you enjoy in mermaiding. Thank you for your kind thoughts.

[AmyS]

I don't have a functioning tail yet so my swims have been with a monofin only so far. I make sure to take things slow and do a few warm-up laps first. Then I put on my monofin and do laps with it on. I try to focus on the movement coming from my abs and hips rather than my knees. The Foil also places your feet at a good spacing apart so that your hips stay in better alignment as well. Usually I'll finish the session with a non-monofin cool-down lap. My sessions are usually fairly short 20-30 minutes all together (and I take short rests between laps). Having my legs working together seems to help versus swimming two-legged and I've noticed my ankles getting more tired than my knees from getting used to the monofin's weight/drag.

I am several years post-surgery but I still have bad knee days and have to pay attention to how it's feeling so I can avoid overworking it as best as possible. If it does start bothering me during a session, I end up stopping and doing a last non-monofin lap (if it feels up to it - sometimes on my back using mainly my arms). Then I'll take some anti-inflammatory meds and take it easy the rest of the day. The most important thing is just to listen to your body and take things slow - don't jump into a long session right away. If all you can manage at first is a single lap with the monofin, that's okay. Just work up to more/longer slowly.

Overall I like swimming with a monofin better than without because my legs can work together better so I feel stronger. It's not pefect and I'm still working on strength/stamina, but overall I think it's been more of a help to me than not. To be honest I'm still nervous how a tail versus a monofin will be on my knee, but I'll face that when I get to that stage.

Rinoa Opaltide, thank you so much for your comprehensive response! Mermaid Salty also recommended the Foil. It certainly sounds like the best thing to start with. How long have you been using it?

[AmyS]

It sounds like taping might be the way to go, assuming you can get ahold of the waterproof stuff.

If compression makes it worse, knee braces are definitely going to be tricky, if not impossible.

Having said that... given that the taping helps, it might be worthwhile trying a brace that stabilises the tracking of the patella (i.e. what the taping does).

Chances are you already have, but just in case you haven't, you might want to ask your orthotist about the following types of brace:


This would give the most support, but also the most compression.
http://www.djoglobal.com/products/donjoy/lateral-j


This is less supportive but also less compressive:
http://www.reh4mat.com/en/produkt/pa...-brace-okd-12/


... and finally the simplest type of patella strap.
http://www.beagleorthopaedic.com/pro...gament-support



I do realise you've probably tried all these already, but figured it wouldn't hurt to throw it out there, just in case!


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Thank you for the links! I have tried braces very similar to these and they exacerbated my knee pain. Fortunately, there is nothing wrong with my patella tracking. I have enlarged, inflamed membranes lining my joints that get pinched between my knee caps and the head of my femurs during activity.

[MermaidViviana]

I'm not sure this thread is still active, but I absolutely feel your pain. I have been working with a physical therapist off and on for lumbar back issues and the whole process is painful and frustrating. You start to feel like every day is about fighting your own body. I can no longer do so many things that I loved doing, anything fun seems to be off the table for good.
Part of my issue is that my body tries to compensate for my back issues, and it throws my hips out of whack constantly. I don't have one leg longer than the other, but my hips being pulled the way they are makes it seem like one is. So a huge part of my therapy has been about strengthening my hips and core, as well as my legs, so that I am able to move properly. It becomes a very careful balancing process, doing one exercise to one side, then something else to the other, until they are in alignment. Then, you have to do everything exactly together. I feel like I spent the whole winter either doing exercises that squeezed my knees together, or exercises I have to do with a yoga band tying my knees together. My legs are supposed to move simultaneously, the exact same way at the exact same time.
My PT also stressed the usefulness and importance of water exercises, pointing out, as you did, that a lot of pressure is taken off the body when it is allowed to move in water, and that it adds greater resistance for better results. Lately my husband and I have been going out to the lake and I have been doing my exercises in the water, which seems to be helping quite a bit. This gave me an idea. Legs stuck together + water exercise, equals mermaiding.
I have always been into mermaids, from Atargatis to Ariel, and I looked at mermaiding a few years ago, but had neither the time nor the funds to allocate to the hobby. I also didn't have much for water in the vicinity, so that was out. But now we have moved back to where I'm from, which is very near Lake Michigan, and have a little more leeway with funds.
I am planning to start slow, getting a monofin and practicing, always with my husband close by to help, not starting in very deep water, and having a pool noodle or a similar floatation device on hand in case I need it. I also will be working closely and doing a lot of consults with my physical therapist. I think as long as you're smart about it and very cautious, your reasons for thinking this might be a good idea are very sound. I hope it works out for both of us. Feel better.

[telzey.amberdon]

https://lucycorsetry.com/corset-bene...ring-a-corset/ . might work.

[AmyS]

MermaidViviana, I am so sorry to hear you are suffering so much! You're clearly facing an immense hurdle and I know well what that feels like. I really hope mermaiding will be the answer for you.

I was horrified to discover that merely wading slowly in chest-high water caused a significant flare up of my knee pain that resulted in me returning to the use of crutches for a week in order to mobilise. I wish you the very best for your own attempts.

[Aquariana]

I also have chronic pain and my knees are bad. I went through Physical Therapy for a bit and it did help me get use of them a bit more than before. I was worried about using a monofin with my knees too but glad to see that it will be ok. I went for testing for Fibromyalgia but after a year into it the clinic changed out my doctor and new one wanted to start all over again and I said yeah ok I'm done with you all. I decided that I would take control of my own health which includes exercise regularly so that is what brought me to swimming again. I have yet to get in the pool since we have limited indoor pools here in Florida. I am originally from Ohio so this was a shock to me, we have plenty of indoor pools up there. I can't really be in sun too long due to having dark hair and it over heats my head and i get dizzy, I have fair skin so I burn easily, and I have signs of lupus showing up on my arms like my mom did and sun and lupus does not mix. So I am looking into a fitness club nearby if I can afford it.

[Shaylee Moon]

I also have chronic pain and my knees are bad. I went through Physical Therapy for a bit and it did help me get use of them a bit more than before. I was worried about using a monofin with my knees too but glad to see that it will be ok. I went for testing for Fibromyalgia but after a year into it the clinic changed out my doctor and new one wanted to start all over again and I said yeah ok I'm done with you all. I decided that I would take control of my own health which includes exercise regularly so that is what brought me to swimming again. I have yet to get in the pool since we have limited indoor pools here in Florida. I am originally from Ohio so this was a shock to me, we have plenty of indoor pools up there. I can't really be in sun too long due to having dark hair and it over heats my head and i get dizzy, I have fair skin so I burn easily, and I have signs of lupus showing up on my arms like my mom did and sun and lupus does not mix. So I am looking into a fitness club nearby if I can afford it.

Oh man, I totally understand, I had to wait until I was 21 to get an actual good doctor. I use to have the issue with dark hair when I was younger! But now thats its short and dyed its not too much! Im gonna get braids in though and that will definitely keep my hair healthier so thats an option too! But man Lupus and sun seriously dont mix. Maybe you can be like a deep sea mermaid that glows in the daaark ooooh!!!! And your pale too so it works!


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[Mermaid~Blue]

I don't know if this'll help at all, but here's my experience with mermaiding: I don't have very good knees, though they aren't terrible. Things like stairs, running or walking long distance do hurt them. Regular swimming causes my knees to ache, yet I find that mermaiding doesn't hurt them at all. I just have to be careful to not use my legs too much, letting them mostly follow behind me. I also find swimming with my tail easier then with just the monofin, keeps my legs from together and in sync.

Hope this was helpful

[AmyS]

I don't know if this'll help at all, but here's my experience with mermaiding: I don't have very good knees, though they aren't terrible. Things like stairs, running or walking long distance do hurt them. Regular swimming causes my knees to ache, yet I find that mermaiding doesn't hurt them at all. I just have to be careful to not use my legs too much, letting them mostly follow behind me. I also find swimming with my tail easier then with just the monofin, keeps my legs from together and in sync.

Hope this was helpful

That's encouraging! Perhaps I might manage with a monofin even though I can't wade in water. (Stairs, running, long walks and regular swimming are problematic for me, too.)

[Aquariana]

Oh man, I totally understand, I had to wait until I was 21 to get an actual good doctor. I use to have the issue with dark hair when I was younger! But now thats its short and dyed its not too much! Im gonna get braids in though and that will definitely keep my hair healthier so thats an option too! But man Lupus and sun seriously dont mix. Maybe you can be like a deep sea mermaid that glows in the daaark ooooh!!!! And your pale too so it works!


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Yes, deep sea mermaid sounds good to me. My hair is kind of falling out so I have it short right now because I hate finding long hairs everywhere. I did have pink hair last year only ends up to middle because I did not want to bleach roots since I already have hair loss issue due to health issues. I would like to do teal the next time I have long hair though.