Float assistance (swimmer with injury)

I could swim quite well when younger, and did the "junior life guard" thing, too.

I never felt uncomfortable or afraid when near water or in the water, regardless of depth - until recently.

However, I didn't do much swimming in past years, which didn't worry me.

But now... I have a torn rotator cuff and need to "deal with it" (no discussions of treatments here, please; it's complicated).

And I realized that I'm not "safe" in the water anymore, not entirely.

Obviously, I can still do my favorite strokes by memory, but without power from both arms...

Worse, my first time in the water after the injury (fortunately, not much more than waist high), I started to do the side stroke, and... ooops! It wasn't going to work, so now I've lost confidence (and probably appropriately so, for now).

I'm looking for some flotation-assist equipment, and YES, I will *always* have a good swimmer with me, often 2 or more.

I'm not looking to swim out far. I just want to frolic in warm waters such as Bermuda or Barbados, and not worry about suddenly finding myself in over my head.

A child-type inflatable inner tube (little thing, not a real inner tub) worked just fine last summer, but... in the water, it pushes up right against armpits - not okay for a torn rotator cuff.

Then I tried a relatively hard life-preserver (vest, about to hips, bright yellow, buckles in the front), the type often seen on people paddle boarding.

But I couldn't stay upright, and kept feeling like an upside down turtle. Not fun.

(Worse, as I approached shallow water, I had serious trouble re-orienting to stand up.)

I've searched online, and wonder about these two inflatable snorkel vests:

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-scpcsv/scubapro-cruiser-snorkeling-vest-black-yellow?utm_campaign=LowerFunnel

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-scmsv/scuba-max-snorkel-vest?RRref=productPage

I do not plan to snorkel. I just want to be able to have a bit of extra "float".

And yes, I'd definitely try it first (a lot) in a pool, with the edge right there, and a good swimmer next to me... and not in water over my head for starters. ;)

(In the past, I could tread water indefinitely with my arms out of the water, but I've now lost my confidence because of the injury.)

Would the typical ship-type/Mae West style life jacket be better?

Many thanks for any other suggestions, as well.

I have no shoulder problems but do have a vest similar to the first one. Mine does not put any pressure on my shoulders as it does not ride up. Mine can have increased flotation if I blow into a valve. Mine is over 10 years old and I have not had any problems with it. There is a second valve that I use to let the air out after I have used it. Before I got the snorkel vest I had a "Mae West" type vest that did ride up and kept me upright in the water which wasn't much use in snorkeling.

I have no shoulder problems but do have a vest similar to the first one. Mine does not put any pressure on my shoulders as it does not ride up. Mine can have increased flotation if I blow into a valve. Mine is over 10 years old and I have not had any problems with it. There is a second valve that I use to let the air out after I have used it. Before I got the snorkel vest I had a "Mae West" type vest that did ride up and kept me upright in the water which wasn't much use in snorkeling.

Thanks.

This is a good start.

How much bouyancy would the vest provide if inflated to it's max?

Thank you again!

Hi there

Have you tried a vest that you blow up, rather than the ridged ones? They will give you a little to a lot of support. I really don't know it would help you but I thought it would be worth a try.

What I did want to comment on was if you did use fins on your feet, you would be able to swim with a lot of power without having to use your hands/arms very much at all. You would be able to tread water with no problem.

hope this helps

ps. thought I would mention...as you get to shallow water, turn on your back, keep going until you can sit (This is where you can remove your fins if you are wearing them), then stand up

Hi there

 

Have you tried a vest that you blow up, rather than the ridged ones? They will give you a little to a lot of support. I really don't know it would help you but I thought it would be worth a try.

 

What I did want to comment on was if you did use fins on your feet, you would be able to swim with a lot of power without having to use your hands/arms very much at all. You would be able to tread water with no problem.

 

hope this helps

Thanks.

The two links I included in first message are vests that one blows up.

But they are meant for snorkeling, so I don't know about the bouyancy (but I've just asked).

Are these the types you mean?

The fins/flippers is a very interesting idea, both for power trying to swim, but especially for treading water, which would be more than fine.

I'm just looking for a way to be IN the water, after all, not "swim" per se.

But I've never used them, and I worry a bit about doing something that seems a bit strange, at least until I otherwise feel confident in the water again.

If the vest works (or something else similar does), then flippers to help me move about a bit, that could work really well, and help me avoid automatically trying to use my arm, until the little pain neurons give me a nasty reminder, etc.

Thank you again.

Hi there again,

Yes, the vest in your first link was the type I was thinking about. Even when not inflated they give some support, that is why snorkelers don't like them if they tend to dive. This link shows many similar types. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=snorkle+vest&id=8A5CE308B213A113C60C95DF9D6DEE3AE2E620BB&FORM=IQFRBA

I think one like those would help, but you don't really want to put out too much money without being sure. If you have a local dive shop near you they might be able to let you try some.

The reason I wanted to point out the fins was because they would be able to give you the extra strength in both shallow and deeper water where you don't have to use your arms unless you chose (in your case you just can't). So now you would be able to "have fun" without worrying about your ability or hurting yourself. If you don't want to use "traditional" fins, there are smaller types that would possibly be better for your purposes. Here is a link to see what I am referring to. http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1002864081/Topis-f88-snorkeling-swimming-font-b-flippers-b-font-submersible-diving-fins-light-short-font-b.jpg

They might just be right for you.

good luck

Hi there again,

 

Yes, the vest in your first link was the type I was thinking about. Even when not inflated they give some support, that is why snorkelers don't like them if they tend to dive. This link shows many similar types. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=snorkle+vest&id=8A5CE308B213A113C60C95DF9D6DEE3AE2E620BB&FORM=IQFRBA

 

I think one like those would help, but you don't really want to put out too much money without being sure. If you have a local dive shop near you they might be able to let you try some.

 

The reason I wanted to point out the fins was because they would be able to give you the extra strength in both shallow and deeper water where you don't have to use your arms unless you chose (in your case you just can't). So now you would be able to "have fun" without worrying about your ability or hurting yourself. If you don't want to use "traditional" fins, there are smaller types that would possibly be better for your purposes. Here is a link to see what I am referring to. http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1002864081/Topis-f88-snorkeling-swimming-font-b-flippers-b-font-submersible-diving-fins-light-short-font-b.jpg

They might just be right for you.

 

good luck

Thank you SO much.

Those "baby fins" ;) look much less intimidating than the big ones I've seen used by others (including DH, who does snorkel a bit).

(These might not be too difficult to use to walk right out if there is a bit too much surf to just "sit down"?)

The fins should really help me to avoid automatically starting to "swim" when I want to move. (Anyway, the pain will remind me fast enough, but the goal is to avoid that, as well as possibly making the injury worse.)

That's a great idea, these little ones. I don't need to go far or fast, obviously. Maybe someday again in the future...

Where we will be next, there will be a huge pool (about 4 feet deep), so that should give me a chance to practice with the flotation sense, and also a bit with the fins, before venturing into the ocean. At this particular hotel, there isn't that much surf anyway, unless there's just been a storm or such. It's reasonably sheltered by some large rock outcroppings a bit of a distance out. I'm glad that's where we'll be next.

Yes, we should be able to find a dive equipment store nearby, as we live in a very large metropolitan area (for better and for worse).

Thanks for the suggestions.

CruiseCritic to the rescue again :)

Depending on how limiting your shoulder issues are, I'd think you'd only need a buoyancy vest (like those you linked) rather than a full on life jacket ...they're also less cumbersome, and you'd likely have less issue with it riding up while you're in the water.

Are you under care of a physio or rehab person? Just thinking that as hydrotherapy is used for so many conditions now, and there are plenty of people who aren't safe without support even in a shallow pool, a physio might have some experience or at least ideas of devices - beyond the usual pool noodle - that might be helpful. If you've a local kayak or boating place, they might be able to give suggestions also - and you'd be able to try them on to see if they're comfortable out of water rather than trusting to an online purchase (if that was your intention).

Otherwise - best of luck with the shoulders - I tore one side about 3 years ago and suspect I've done the other - they're a right pest.

Depending on how limiting your shoulder issues are, I'd think you'd only need a buoyancy vest (like those you linked) rather than a full on life jacket ...they're also less cumbersome, and you'd likely have less issue with it riding up while you're in the water.

 

Are you under care of a physio or rehab person? Just thinking that as hydrotherapy is used for so many conditions now, and there are plenty of people who aren't safe without support even in a shallow pool, a physio might have some experience or at least ideas of devices - beyond the usual pool noodle - that might be helpful. If you've a local kayak or boating place, they might be able to give suggestions also - and you'd be able to try them on to see if they're comfortable out of water rather than trusting to an online purchase (if that was your intention).

 

Otherwise - best of luck with the shoulders - I tore one side about 3 years ago and suspect I've done the other - they're a right pest.

Thanks for the idea of consulting a rehab person about what type of bouyancy device they might recommend, especially something that wouldn't put pressure on an injured area.

And yeah, a "noodle" wasn't going to work at all. Aside from the fact that it could "get away" (although I doubt that would have happened), it doesn't just "ride up"; it starts right in that bad position.

However, trying to work with the noodles made me think a lighter life-vest type "thing" might work. I briefly tried one noodle in front and one wrapped around my back, so I could relax a bit upright.

That combo worked really well in terms of flotation, although it looked pretty odd, like I had a partial octopus wrapped around me (!).

If it hadn't been for the almost immediate discomfort (aka rapidly increasing pain, continuing a long time), we would have figured out a way to connect two of those more permanently.

Hmmm... something like that but anchored so it couldn't ride up totally into armpits...?

That's sounding like a baby "seat" in the water, with a full sling. :o Not quite what I had in mind although I suppose it would work...

(And it would probably look a lot better than my floating like an upside down turtle, and be a lot more comfortable, too!)

Thanks all.