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Pain in foot after diving. Training tips?

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SubSub

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2015
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After a few hours of finning / diving I get pain in my right foot. Most likely because it was a while ago I was last diving and my foot and ankle is unused to the unnatural stretching motion when moving foot forward in the finning cycle.

Do any of you guys have training tips for strengthening the foot for the part of the finning motion where you move the leg/foot forward and stretch the ankle?
 
Yes, here is an idea. It is not really working on the foot but the tibialis anterior muscle and associated connective tissue


This area can be put under a lot of strain when kicking. To stretch and develop this muscle you can do a very simple exercise. It is somewhat of a strange motion and initially (unless you are very sore) will feel NOTHING. But, you have to keep doing repetitions, possibly 100 reps for the first set, that might take you 50 or 60 seconds. Subsequent sets, will begin to really fatigue the area and you will feel the burn.

All you need is to stand on a step or low platform with your heels on the step and your toes and most of your foot hanging off the step. You want to have enough of the heel firmly on the step so that you don't slip off or fall and you will want to steady yourself with a hand rail or something secure. Wear good athletic shoes.

So you are facing down the steps and you keep your knees slightly bent and hold that angle in your knees keeping your knees immobile. Then just push your toes down as far as they can go and then lift your toes up as far as they can go and maybe squeeze a little at the top when you pull the toes up. It is the opposite of a calf raise and is essentially tapping your toes (in the air). Maybe described as bouncing your toes up and down, while keeping your knees a little bent and standing only on your heel.

It feels strange and you have to do it for 45 seconds or so, before you feel anything, but it really targets that area.


Don't push hard the first few times, to make sure you are not over doing it!

Dano
 
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If I was you, I'll get softer fins/blades

Haha, yeah, that’s an idea too... a slightly more expensive idea however. [emoji28] I’m 100kgs and have medium fins now, and don’t really think the stiffness is the issue, rather a weak ankle.

It feels like the pain comes from over stretching some of the tendons. I don’t really hold against the pressure on the foot in the forward motion of the kick. Do you guys?
 
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