Can you pick up stuff with your toes? (ankle, yoga, cramp)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I seem to be on "hip precautions" for the rest of my life, so no reaching down to the ground. I have one of those picker-things but I like to try and deal with it with my own body, and not call on DH all the time.
So I open the lower drawers and try to lift lighter items with my toes, so I'm not bending so far. Of course I don't want to lose my balance---that would be worse---but it's interesting to see what can be done.
Arm amputees deal with this all the time, so it's nothing new, but most of us aren't using our toes much, I'd guess.
Doesn't work for anything too heavy of course. But it does help for small stuff. Now I just need some sturdy loafers so I can get into shoes without bending down when I'm not wearing flip-flops.
It's a bummer because I CAN easily put my hands flat on the ground, bending at the waist. But not allowed now.
It reminds me of the African women carrying stuff on their heads. We never learned that either, lol.
I can pick up most anything up to a few lbs with my toes. I credit my dad for passing on to me his monkey feet. He used to hang upside down from my swingset by hooking the top of his feet over the bar.
When I take off my shorts, I like to grab them with my toes, toss them into the air, and catch them with my hands. It greatly entertains the wife.
I also have very flexible hip joints. I can drop to the lotus position without a second thought.
I can pick up most anything up to a few lbs with my toes. I credit my dad for passing on to me his monkey feet. He used to hang upside down from my swingset by hooking the top of his feet over the bar.
When I take off my shorts, I like to grab them with my toes, toss them into the air, and catch them with my hands. It greatly entertains the wife.
I also have very flexible hip joints. I can drop to the lotus position without a second thought.
Good luck!
Hip flexibility is especially unusual for men - the few I see in yoga classes usually have their knees practically up by their ears when they try to sit cross-legged, much less lotus!
My father, sister and I could do this. I did up until I landed in a wheelchair; it used to creep my DH out, but it really came in handy when I had two kids under two.
I was also double jointed and was a gymnast (until I got too tall) and was a cheerleader. When I was in Army basic training I wasn't so great with push-ups or the two mile run, but I actually stunned every Drill Sgt by doing full out tumbling on the blacktop whenever I got the chance. My DH just reminded me of this last night (he was in my Company).
Ever since childhood, I've used my toes to pick up things. It's convenient and feels natural to me to do so. I'm pretty flexible and have always had fairly good balance, so that might also factor into why I tend to pick up things with my feet. Other family members can do this (including my 77-year-old mother), so perhaps it's genetic.
Status:
"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 8 days ago)
35,633 posts, read 17,975,706 times
Reputation: 50660
Absolutely.
When I had little kids, sometimes one was on my hip and a diaper bag over the other shoulder. If I wanted to pick up a sock on the floor, it was with my toes with a handoff to my free hand, or I could toss it onto the washer with my foot.
My husband was so tickled by how deft I was, and thought it was hilarious that my niece did that, too, when she had a baby. Sometimes, two hands aren't enough. ;D
What you need for your shoes is a long-handled shoehorn, to hold the back of the shoe open. You can also use it to hold the shoe steady while you take it off.
I used to be able to pick things up with my toes, but not anymore. I've got a lot of hardware in my right ankle and my toes cramp up and get stuck when I try to pick things up with them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
