swimming with one flail arm

[eweinstein]

Wondered what people use to immobilize one completely flail arm in the pool- I am the parent of a 14 year old injured and everything she has tried has fallen out. Any ideas?

[cbe411]

I Am TBPI of almost 10 years and 30 years young! I swim as often as possible... its GREAT therapy! I do not do anything to my arm when in the pool! I let it float and use what I can of it!

I fooled a sub physical therapist once while in the pool, she looked at me moving and walked out... didn't think I was TBPI! haha GREAT therapy!

I say let it go!

Courtney

[Dan]

I have had my injury for over 24 years and did a complete, so no movement other than the bicept/intercostal surgery that gives me bicept movement.

I am in the water a lot, ocean swimming and body surfing, lakes for boating and swimming, I also compete in triathlons and with all my swimming/water activities I let my arm hang. Less drag and it also feels better with the arm moving freely without the weight.

The only bad thing about doing it the way I do is getting my sling on during the transition from swimming to riding.

Are there more details about why she would need it strapped down, if she needs it stapped down for say water polo, I think we could come up with some material that might work for her. We make the athletic arm sling, but haven't done one that is waterproff or better yet made out of material that would be good in the water, we also might need to make a few adjustments to it. Let me know if there is anything we can do to help.

Dan

[Fernando]

Hi in my case what I like to do is put my BPI arm in side a Lycra shirt so I get the arm out of the way and the thicker the lycra the better it workshere, here is a picture. (Xcel Lycras do a good job because they use a thick materials)

Saludos
Fernando

[Fernando]

and been 14 means you want to play, so with the arm out of the way He or She can play in a water park, jump around, play in the waves, you name it, but that is what works for me and everyone has to fine there new way and the more ideas you get the better.

Fernando

[Master DIVER TOM]

I am a Padi MAster Diver with Erbs from Birth and on the private board, When you try to swim one arm it does not work . Learn how to snokleal with a Mask that fits so it does not leak, you dont need to lift your face out of the water.

Best wishes ,

Tom

[Dan]

I am a Padi MAster Diver with Erbs from Birth and on the private board, When you try to swim one arm it does not work . Learn how to snokleal with a Mask that fits so it does not leak, you dont need to lift your face out of the water.

Best wishes ,

Tom

Tom, I think it depends on the type of swimming or playing in the water you are doing. There are plenty of us who swim for triathlons or other distance swimming and we swim "normal" I am doing a triathlon tomorrow morning and I breath on every stoke on my good arm side. I know a few people who trian and compete breathing on both sides, good arm and bad arm side, I think just depends on what you are comfortable doing.

I have taken a few distance swimming classes and the instructions were the same for two arms as they were for one. It is the same as when I play golf, the instructions are the same.

My two cents,
Dan

[Master DIVER TOM]

Hi Dan,

Your 2 cents are good and you are awesome. Sometimes I have to answer with the over use of the good are in mine. I found the side stroke using one are to be best . This way no sling is needed because of this type of stroke I learn this way back doing a mile swim at scouts. The buddy I was team up with only had one leg. Sometimes its hard to answer here base on others limitation.

Hope you do the Kona, Iron Man. Best wishes

Tom

[Dan]

Hi Dan,

Hope you do the Kona, Iron Man. Best wishes

Tom

Tom, I haven't had any overuse issues yet, I am 25 years in, so hope that continues.

I am a weekend warrior triathlete, but there are a few people who have been on here who are the real deal. Last year the national champions in the one arm "winger" category for both men and women were bpi'ers. This year the national champ for the women not only won the one arm, but also the entire challenged athlete division. They might be doing kona and the other "real" triathlons, I just do the short ones, just for fun.

Dan

[eweinstein]

Thanks for all the info.!! So far she likes the idea of the lycra shirt- she is super self-conscious to just let the arm go in the water.The picture was great too. She is a tough cookie and is refusing all adaptive PE in school. She has a swimming unit coming up in Sept and does prefer the side stroke. I think the shirt will come in handy. Great idea!!