The "Long Term" Effects of "Mermaiding

"Mermaiding" is a verb coined by the professional and recreational community of people who use mermaid/merman/merfolk tails. The verb means to swim in a tail. Swimming in a tail - mermaiding- can have many effects on the body. Some of these are positive such; an increased strength- while others may be negative, such as; chronic pain. For the purpose of this blog we're going to look at a published study and a survey to better understand the impact mermaiding has on our bodies.

The Study

Mermaiding requires a lot of work and effort, whether you are at a professional level or not. It typically requires a large range of motion, a capacity for moving despite drag or weight, and a certain comfort level in the water.

In 2017 Matthieu Guitton, a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Laval University in Quebec City, published the first study of "mermaid health" in the journal of International Maritime Health. You can read the study in full here, but I have some highlights below:

• The study was a small sample size of self reported professional mermaids ranging in age from 26-43.
  
  
• The study compromised a combined total of 19,147 hours of "in water" mermaid work - self reported.
  
  
• The study made the observation that the profile of health issues experienced by professional mermaids is unique and specific, and clearly different from both professional swimmers and surfers.
  
  
• "Self-reported health issues related to mermaiding could be divided into issues specificallyrelated to mermaiding activities (ear issues, reported by 87.5% of the respondents; sea life encounters, 50%; cold-related issues, 37.5%; compromised access to air, 25%), issues related to the tail and fins (back pain, 50%; lower limbs issues, 37.5%), and issues related to water quality (eye issues, 25%; waterborne
  diseases, 12.5%)."
  
  
• "Clear differences appear between professional and recreational mermaiding activities."
  
  
• The study focused mainly on health issues with them seemingly being more acute in nature (being individual experiences) rather that chronic issues (long term).
  

Mermaids Kristin and Tuwala wear helmets for their lift to the beach

---

This study is an excellent start in recording the physical issues that mermaids face. More studies are needed, with larger sample sizes, and measurable data.

This study inspired my free online course on mermaid safety which you can take for free here: https://www.mermaidraina.com/blog-tutorials/introduction-to-mermaid-safety

THE Survey

Over the course of a year, I collected survey data from 170 merfolk. The survey provided a platform for people to self report the various issues they experiencing while mermaiding, and the positive effect it has on their life as well. It's important to note that because these are "self reported" answers, they can't be totally verified. Some people may under-report, some may exaggerate, and some may answer who don't really qualify. I work to control these variable to the best of my ability and feel that the percentages still reflect the community. However, it's important to consider these points when reading the following data.

---

The Demographic

The demographic based on the reports are as followed:

• Total 170 "mers" answered
  
  
• 90% were female, 6% male, and 4% non-binary
  
  
• The majority of those who answered had been using a mer-tail between 3-5 years at 50%. The other half were broken down with 1-2 years being the second highest at 29%, 6-8 years at 13%, 9-10 years at 5% and 11+ years at 3%
  
  
• The survey didn't distinguish between professional or recreational mers
  
  
• 31% usually used silicone tails, 26% used fabric only tails such as FinFun.  23% used a 'mix of tails' depending on the need, and 9% used hybrid tails including sequin tails. 8% made their own tails, and 3% used "other" undefined materials
  
  
• When it comes to how often they swim, 37% swan 5 times or less in 1 month. 33% felt they swam mostly seasonally but still a little throughout the year. 17% claimed to have swam 6-10 times in a month while 10% swam between 12-20 times in a month. 3% reported swimming 21+ times in a month
  
  
• 32% of those who self reported were between the ages of 21-25, with 24% following close behind at 26-30. Only 1 person was less than 16. 1 person was between the ages of 56-60, and 1 between 46-50.
  
  
• Finally we looked at training as part of the demographic of mers. Important note: respondents were allowed to check more than one answer as it applied to them.  34% reported having some type of formal swimming training such as syncro. 32% had no training what-so-ever. 27% had scuba training, and 23% had Freediving. A combined 26% took some form of short class (monofin class, swim school, aqua fit etc). Finally, 24% had some lifeguarding or swim instructor experience.

---

From looking at our demographic we can make a few assumptions about the 170 folks who self-replied. The majority are female between the ages of 21-30. They swim 5 times a month or so, mostly in silicone or fabric. They've been mostly using tails for 3-5 years, with many coming in at the 1-2 year mark. The survey also reports that 61% swim mostly in pools, 21% fairly evenly across pools and bodies of water, and only 12% swimming mostly in oceans and lakes. It was very evenly split between the mers who had formal training in swimming and those who had no training at all. An assumption could be made that accessibility to scuba and freediving training may need to be increased for merfolk.

The Results

In the survey, respondents were asked to select all of the negative and positive effects they felt they experienced while mermaiding. The majority of these selections would be considered "chronic" issues that re-occur so long as the mer continues to swim. However, some may be reporting on issues that they seldom experience. it's important to note that the merfolk self reporting identify these issues as directly being caused by mermaiding, and not other outside factors.

The Bad: 5 Times a Year or Less:

• 25% expressed being extremely cold to the point of hypothermia 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 23% reported ear infections 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 18% experienced joint pain 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 14% reported heat or sun stroke 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 12% reported eye infections 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 12% reported mermaiding leading to anxiety or depression 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 5% experienced inflamed ribs 1-5 times a year
  

• 48% reported that their hair gets severely damaged
  
  
• 48% report having muscle cramping 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 38% report sunburns while mermaiding 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 21% experienced skin irritation and rashes 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 20% experience sinus infections 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 19% expressed feeling extremely stressed due to mermaiding 1-5 times a year
  
  
• 9% experience sciatica 1-5 times a year
  

The Bad: More Serious or More Frequent Issues:

• 57% reported getting blisters on feet/ankles/knee areas more than 5 times a year
  
  
• 33% experience back pain 5 times a year or more
  
  
• 8% reported a dangerous encounter with an ocean animal
  
  
• 6% reported increased issues in breathing and lung problems
  
  
• 2% had a broken bone due to mermaiding
  

• 15% experienced hip pain more than 5 times a year.
  
  
• 10% reported bad lacerations or cuts due to mermaiding
  
  
• 7% reported experiencing a near drowning while mermaiding
  
  
• 5% said mermaiding flares their health conditions
  

---

Thoughts

From the survey results it seems that many of the ongoing issues are more superficial and annoying, such as blisters, dying hair, and skin irritation. However, it's still quite alarming how often mers experience sometime of additional more serious pain a year, with most being less than 5 but some being more so. Back pain is extremely common, and while small amounts it's still unnerving to read that some have endured broken bones, bad cuts, and dangerous encounters with animals.

It is my personal belief that more education is needed for how mers can counteract these negative effects. Whether it is knowing how to prevent blisters, or understanding body physiology to help counteract back pain, hip, and rib pain. Seeking out the help of professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and even personal trainer can help mers understand the stress being put on their bodies.

Tails- especially silicone tails- put an unnatural amount of force on our joints. At the hip, knee, and ankle area, the restriction of the tail is constantly adding a pushing or squeezing force to joints that would normally have a full range of motion. Swimming in a fabric tail or a monofin doesn't cause the same amount of force. Yes- your legs are "together" but they are not experiencing a serious constriction.

You can learn more about my personal experience combating mermaiding with fitness here: https://www.mermaidraina.com/blog-tutorials/fitness-for-merfolk

---

The Good

But wait- it's not all doom and gloom! We all know that mermaiding has a positive effect on us, it's why we do it! But how often do we actually sit down and look at the changes mermaiding is creating in our physical bodies? Check out some of these survey results, keeping in mind that respondents could answer more than 1.

Results:

• 79% report becoming physically stronger since starting mermaiding
  
  
• 67% were inspired to work on their physical fitness as a result
  
  
• 55% said they felt less stressed
  
  
• 54% saw improvement in lung and breathing conditions
  
  
• 49% felt they became more tolerant to cold and heat
  
  
• 46% were inspired to take a formal certification or class
  
  
• 16% find it helps them cope with a health condition
  

• 64% felt mermaiding helped them become more social and network
  
  
• 63% said it helped them combat depression and anxiety
  
  
• 52% became more flexible
  
  
• 51% lost weight
  
  
• 51% were inspired to eat healthier
  
  
• 50% felt they became more resilient
  
  
• 45% say they sleep better
  
  
• 25% say they have more energy
  
  
• 10% felt their skin improved
  

The respondents also provided these quotes that reflect more of the positive experiences:

"I used to have a phobia of going under water and since starting mermaiding I have faced this phobia"
"Mermaiding gave me the confidence to become a power lifter and to participate in cosplay"
"mermaiding has inspired me to go back to sewing and make my own tails. I also learned new techniques such as cutting lexan, riveting, sewing neoprene and using silicone"
"Mermaiding has got me through a really tough time, health wise.. By reducing the pain I felt 24/7. It also helped me to grow out to be the woman I am today: A more confident, healthier and happier version of me"
"My breath hold and cardio has improved. my upper body strength has improved, my general swimming ability has improved."

My Personal Experience

Mermaiding has been a wild ride for me from start to finish. When I was first inspired to be a mermaid, I was not very mobile, in a lot of pain, and wasn't a strong swimmer. Wanting to be in the tail really inspired me to seek out appropriate help, put in the hard work my body needed, and become a better swimmer. It didn't happen over night- that's for sure.

I've experienced the majority of the issues people reported in the survey.

I've had my hair literally fall out many times, and I wrote a blog on what I did to fix this and how I now maintain a healthy hair.

I've also had mold cause skin irritation and have published a blog on how I deal with that too.

Along the side here you'll see several video tutorials I have made to help combat other common problems such as foot pain, ear pain and infections, mermaiding with chronic illness, and a little video about why I think freediving training is important for safety.

I have now been a mermaid 10 years, working in the past 5 of those years at least 10 times a month in a tail with my busy season seeing me in a tail practically daily.

I've learned to try and keep silicone tails for the water, and not for dry land gigs if I can help it. The gravity on land is a lot less forgiving on our poor bodies in these heavy tails, and when we're in the water our feet are in a more neutral position.

I've had my tail cause me to pinch my sciatic nerve and it took about 3 months to fix, and now I have to actively prevent it.

I have broken fingers and toes while mermaiding.

I've cut myself pretty seriously on rocks.

The affect of mermaiding on my back, spine, and posture is certainly something I notice. I visit a chiropractor often to offset the damage done.

I've certainly experienced rib inflammation from holding myself up too long, sun burns, heat and cold exposure too.

Most recently overuse of my ankle in the monofin on dry land caused me to have a sprained foot and ankle and it sure has been a chore trying to fix this.

I also have scars on the tops of my feet from blisters!

In Conclusion...

Obviously it's not all bad or I wouldn't still be doing it! I wouldn't have this blog, and I wouldn't be working so hard to educate and empower the community!

Mermaiding has given me a sense of community, a motivation to keep myself healthy and fit, it's taught my new skills and been both financially rewarding and emotionally so. I've made amazing friends, had life changing experiences, and lived a very exciting life.

So this long term effect of mermaiding. What do I think it is? I think it's certainly a mix of good or bad, and I think if you're careful and safe the bad is very little. I would hope, the bad is worthwhile. I want to be a 90 year old woman who looks at the scars on her feet and smiles because I remember my time in a mermaid tail.

If you like my blog and my resources, please consider tossing a few sand dollars my way! I provide all of these services for free, but they cost me money to create. Any little bit helps me offset that cost. Thanks!

Become a Patron!