Has anyone in the mer community been able swim using the undulating mermaid motion with a monofin or fabric tail despite having bad knees? (This is a 'long shot' of a question, I know!)
For over 2 years, I have suffered from patellofemoral synovitis. I am currently unable to go up or down stairs, kneel, squat, run, swim by kicking my legs, bend my knees more than 40 degrees, carry heavy things, walk in water or walk very far at all, in fact. I used to love swimming underwater, belly dancing and martial arts but I have not been able to exercise anything other than my arms and upper body for a long time due to the swelling and pain most exercises causes in my knees afterwards. My quads have atrophied due to lack of use. I have had to give up work due to my knee pain and am currently mostly confined to my house.
Despite being unable to swim normal strokes, I feel that being submerged in water is likely to be the only way in which I will be able to experience anything resembling full mobility again. My question is, do you think swimming with a monofin or mermaid tail would be suitable for someone suffering from knee pain?
I heard about an injured triathlete who used a 'dolphin kick' style of swimming stroke to exercise with bad knees and a bit more digging led me to the mer community. I love seeing how easily and comfortably mers move through the water.
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