Monday, April 15, 2019

Stretch Those Toes, Baby!

Nothing will ever be as dear to me as my sweet mother was and the lingering memories of her.
She has been with Jesus since 2010....I can't believe she's been gone that long.


Although I didn't inherit her meek and mild spirit or her quiet demeanor,
I did, however, get a few things from her...
...her chin, her hairline (and I passed that on to Adam and his Olivia) and I hate to say this...
...but something that I wish I hadn't gotten.

Her bunions.

Let me rephrase that...

Bunions that I don't ever want to become like hers.

Even my earliest memories of her include finding my little girl self gazing with a puzzled face 
as to why her feet (specifically her toes) looked like that.
Of course these are not actually her feet but they are remarkably close to what hers looked like, 
including the numerous bunion and corn pads.
I do declare that someone snapped a shot of her feet and sold it to the internet...seriously!

source
Mom, if you happen to be looking down on me now, please forgive me...
I only want to help others by sharing this.

I remember it nearly causing me physical pain just to look at them.
She had the hardest time fitting into shoes, to say the least.
But what I don't understand is she always wore sensible shoes...never high heels or pointed toes.
Maybe just ill-fitting ones but no doubt she was on her feet a lot raising those eight kiddos!
~
I guess I probably noticed the beginning of bunions forming in my late 30s to early 40s.
I have always had a thing for cute shoes and for quite a few years
I was guilty of cramming my feet into those high heeled, needle nose torture chambers.
But only for short amounts of time to church or special occasions...never on the job.
In fact, my favorite "shoes" were the ones I was born wearing.
Then of course, there were my flip-flops....still, my go to favorites.
When I first started noticing the bunions, I became determined to keep them at bay!
~
Just so you know, I have never done a review post on any certain product,
although I may have simply offered my humble opinion about this or that.
I am not getting paid and no one affiliated with the product has asked me for a review.
~
So let me tell you how this post all came about...
Probably more than ten years ago, I came across an ad in the back of a magazine.
It was for Yoga Toes and they immediately got my attention.
Yes, they have been around a good while.


Fast forward to...whenever...I cannot even locate my order on my Amazon account.
I thought for sure that's where I got them but I may have ordered from the Yoga Toes site.
Like I said, I have had them for at least 10 years and used them often...that is until...
I lost them somewhere in a messy drawer I misplaced them and couldn't find them anywhere!
That would be until just a couple of weeks ago and I nearly jumped for joy when I found them!
If you think I was going to order another pair for over thirty bucks...uh...probably not...
...but now that I think about it, maybe, just maybe I would have!
I knew they had to be here somewhere...and, of course, they were.
I do realize I'm telling on myself for not keeping things in order like I should. 😏


So yesterday I got those babies out of their cute little mesh bag with the drawstring top
and plopped them on my feet for a couple of hours while I watched my afternoon cooking shows.
Really though, you don't just "plop" them on...it takes a little bit of work to get 'er done...
...and it probably also depends on your specific toes.
If they are long and skinny, I'd say it's much easier than prying apart short, fat ones like mine. 😖
Immediately after I posted this photo on Facebook while I was busy "Yoga Toe-ing",
it evidently sparked an interest in my friend, Lea from Cici's Corner
and her interest in them encouraged me to write a post about them......so here it is!
~
In all honesty, I had forgotten just how wonderful my feet felt during and after the stretch.
These are not something you can wear to walk around in nor wearing them to bed for the night.
The instructions tell you to start out wearing them for short increments of time...
...maybe 10-15 minutes at first and gradually work up to an hour or longer.
I had mine on for probably at least 2 hours, maybe a bit longer.
It's also important that you get the right size so they aren't uncomfortable but give a good stretch.

Over time, my big toes have become more and more numb, due to bones pressing on the nerves.
I always wear silicone toe spacers with closed-in shoes and socks and also while sleeping.
They do keep the big toes more in line and they have also helped me greatly over the years.
 I purchase these at Walmart and they are soft, comfortable and do a great job.
But the thing about the Yoga Toes is the actual stretch they provide for your feet and toes.
It is highly beneficial to exercise and stretch other joints and muscles in our body, right?
So why not our feet and toes as well since they carry all of our burdens all day long!
You can read about the therapeutic benefits by clicking here.


  And when it's chilly outside and I want to keep my feet warm and toasty while I stretch,
I have these cozy socks as well, which also provides a comfy "posture" for your toesies.
(The socks are manufactured by Hithop, not Yoga Toes.)
Amazon

So...there you have it...everything you always wanted to know about...
...but was afraid to ask.

Have you ever tried them??
Have a wonderful week, my friends!

27 comments:

  1. That is very interesting. I do not have a problem with bunions, so I have never even heard of these things. It sounds like a good alternative to having surgery to have the bunions removed.

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  2. Well look at that. My mom could have benefited from those. I'm going to track those toe spacers down at Wal-Mart. Thanks for sharing except for that firs photo. Yikes. My mom's got pretty bad, too.

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  3. Grandma's feet always looked like they hurt. I have never heard of these either but I might try them just for a good stretch now and then.

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  4. Oh my, your poor grandma's toes!! I could use one of those spacers. My feet... ugh. Thanks for sharing these products with us!

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  5. Those look amazing!
    My mom has this problem and she has even had surgery on her feet.
    You said they were a bit of a struggle putting on so mom likely wouldn't be able to wear them with the arthritic hands. Maybe I should wear them just in case I should get bunions. :)
    Thanks for sharing ~

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  6. Your poor mama! You are wise to use the tools that you have found to help, both the Yoga Toes and the toe spacer. "An ounce of prevention . . . " as they say.

    Oh, the things we inherit from past generations! I inherited my maternal family's body shape and my paternal family's prematurely gray hair. Thanks, guys! :)

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  7. I'm going to look for some, have just got bunions starting to form so better hit them now :)
    Diana

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  8. How interesting! I inherited the ability (from my mom) to stretch my own toes and I do quite often. We were called “Monkey Feet” by my dad. Comes in very handy for picking things up without bending. TMI all over the place here. 🙃

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  9. See, I told you, all kinds of us gals wanted to know about these. I'm about to order my son a pair and may order myself a pair. I have no feet issues but I'm betting these just make your feet feel better. Thanks for this most informative post! And, your sweet Momma's feet, that pains me to look at that picture.

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  10. I have never ever tried nor seen these! My toes didn't even know I needed them. But I do have the talent (skill?) of stretching and even waving with my toes. Entertains the grandkids in a pinch. LOL

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  11. I had never heard of those until I saw your post on FB. Bless your mama's sweet heart! My papa had bunions so bad that in his older years I saw him cut slits on the sides of his work boots to give him some relief. I have a bunion on my left foot. Went to the Dr. years ago and of course he said surgery but no guarantees that it would not come back. I opted out of that route. And I know exactly how that happened with me. Years of wearing those pretty shoes! Yep, all the styles you mentioned. Oh I love me some shoes though! Over the past few years I have really tried to be more careful so that old bunion wouldn't get any worse. Some days it aches me terribly. I am going to check out those cute little yoga toes! Thanks so much for the information girly. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  12. Oh my those feet pictured are painful to look at.
    Never heard of those toes stretchers.

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  13. I confess I use those gel toe spacers. Bunions are a reality in my family :(

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  14. Aw, your sweet Mom looks like such an old-time saintly lady. I can just imagine how she could pray and intercede to God. Just precious. I am sure you inherited so much more from her than just the bunions! I can see why you have such a dear, loving family...seeing your Mom made it very clear. I know you miss her terribly. So nice to visit with you tonight, sweet friend. :)

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  15. Those feet must have caused a lot of agony. Your poor, sweet Mother! Hopefully you can save yourself from that level of pain.
    I'm going to look into these "Yoga Toes," because stretching is a very good way to maintain our bodies.
    Have a great weekend,
    Andrea

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  16. Thanks for sharing the photograph of your Mom.

    Thanks too for sharing the information about toes!
    We do need to look after our feet … I'm sitting wiggling my toes now! LOL!

    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  17. Oh my goodness, I have never heard of "yoga toes". What a fascinating and educational post, Debby. I remember my mum having bunions. Would you believe she always cut holes in her shoes to allow for her bunions!!!!

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  18. So glad I stopped by your blog. My 16 year old granddaughter inherited this from her dads side of the family and she has to be so very careful in her shoe selections. Not something that a 16 year old wants to do. They like being in style. I'll pass on this info and maybe these items can give her some relief. Enjoyed your post.

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  19. I have these Yoga Toes and have had them for years. This post has reminded me that I should get them out and use them again! I can't remember where I bought them, or why; they just appealed to me for some reason. They do make me feet and toes feel so good after wearing them. Something funny that I remember .. the info pamphlet had the helpful instruction to "Do Not Eat the Yoga Toes!"

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  20. This is so interesting and helpful information. I think one of more of us two may need this before long, so I'll save your post. Meanwhile, have a happy Easter!

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  21. Oh your poor dear Mama, Debby! I have never heard of Yoga Toes, but I'm glad they help your poor little feet. Happy Easter blessings to you and your family!

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  22. How interesting! My feet haven't given me much trouble so far (and I'm in my mid-40s) but hopefully I'll remember these if I need them later :)

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  23. I have never, ever heard of these! I guess it makes sense like you say to stretch the joints in your toes and feet. Thankfully I don't have this problem YET but I do have arthritis in the ankles which makes me look quite comical if I just jump out of bed without stretching. Like a wounded bird lol.

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  24. The yoga socks are cute and because I don't do yoga, I've never heard of them. Your poor mama suffered, I'm sure with her feet and I'm glad you're doing what you can to avoid the problem. When my hubby and I first started going together as teenagers, his first job was in a shoe store and I remember him telling me how hard it was to fit some of the ladies with bunions. He was very patient and they always left happy. I'm sure some of your readers will find your post very helpful. Enjoy your day, Debby!

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  25. I lost my mom in 2010 too and she also had bunions like the picture. I do not have them and I have always tried to wear comfy shoes. I will have to look for the spacers. Thanks for the information!

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  26. It's me...always late, but so glad I saw this. Mama had bad toes too and so does my sister. I thought my toes were going to be fine but have started to do funny things. I really need to order the yoga toes and get the spacers too. Oh, you do not have fat toes...I have short fat toes!! Your toes are pretty.

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Thank you for stopping by today! Your sweet comments are such an encouragement to me.

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