to be incapable of cutting my own toenails aged 51

Someone's probably already asked this: have you tried cutting each other's toe nails?

I’m 27 and can’t cut my own toenails because it repulses me. If I could opt out of having toes I absolutely would. Get your DH to do them. True love means cutting someone’s toenails for them, as my DH found out very early on in our relationship.

Yoga should help on flexibility. Adriene or Kassandra are good and quite gentle. I have to take my varifocals off to cut my toenails. Otherwise you are trying to focus on something close while looking through the distance part of the lens.

This is what you need to - toenail clippers WITH a magnifying glass!!

https://amzn.eu/d/9fSxPOl

Canary are actually a very good brand of nail clippers (Japanese steel is top quality).

@MyThreeWords i can only speak for myself here, but my reading glasses allow me to see clearly at just beyond my extended arm finger tips and then to something as close around three inches from my face. To cut by toenails my arms a slightly bent so well within the capability of my reading glasses no matter how I angle my head.
if I want slightly further than that eg a music stand whilst playing my flute or recorder I use mod vision glasses which happily are the same prescription as an old pair of reading glasses. (Long may that thankfully continue). Beyond that I need distance glasses.
my varifocals do all three distances, and are brilliant for driving and everyday tasks, but a bigger lens at a fixed distance for a longish time is sometimes much more useful.

The closer the toes are to the eyes the easier you can see them

Surely reading glasses won't help someone with limited flexibility, because you would need to get your feet as close to your eyes as you hold a book when you are reading?

At 62 I'm fine with toenail cutting (with variofocals!), but can't turn my feet in enough to get a clear close up view of the entire sole.

@tworottenapples oh I saw that and wondered too!!
id be grateful if anyone has tried and has some feedback

I don’t know if that helps but for close up work I actually prefer to remove my glasses. Toe nails, hair removal (esp armpit), face.
and yes some stuff is harder flexibility wise but I don’t think it’s my age. More health condition plus being overweight.

The solution is to to have them done instead.

I get a chiropodist to cut my toenails. It's quite a luxury, she massages my feet as well. I only pay £15 although obviously this varies.

I am in my 50’s and have no trouble doing it. I’ve just started to do my Mum’s and she’s 88! Pay for a pedicure?

Unless it's eye-Pilates, it'll be no use. The OP has repeatedly said, it's an eyesight issue more than a flexibility issue.

I have fibromyalgia so doing it myself isn't a option I go to a walk in nail bar get cut and painted plus a pedicure way cheaper than a chiropodist and I have lush painted nails also!

I don't cut my toenails. I file them once a week.

Following this thread with interest. I'm another one who struggles to cut my toenails. I've been looking into electronic gadgets to do the job, but not sure how much use they would be.

This sort of thing.

https://10bestchoices.co.uk/electric-toenail-clippers-for-elderly-uk?utm_source=google&utm_term=&campaignid=23138356997&adgroupid=187328422455&targetid=dsa-1456167871416&device=c&loc_physical=9198459&matchtype=&mid=582-777-6933&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23138356997&gbraid=0AAAAA_q8vDofXtsiy1ycLz-0IWTj8U1eS&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiL7f-YmJkgMVBZFQBh0sjTMvEAAYAyAAEgJNrfD_BwE

Has anyone tried this sort of thing?

In my case, I'm disabled, which doesn't help. It also means that getting out to have a pedicure isn't easy as I am no longer allowed to drive and can't walk to the bus stop,, so looking for dealing with it myself at home.

I’m quite lucky I think, I’m 65 and can still just about get my toes up to my face if I want, and also in a more normal position see my toenails well enough with or without my off the shelf readers. I do also have ‘computer glasses’ which are just slightly weaker off the shelf readers, they’d probably be ideal.

Toe glasses made me chuckle. Just pay a podiatrist or get a pedicure in a nail bar. You’ll only need it every couple of months

I usually wait until it’s a nice bright sunny day and sit on the edge of the bed.

Turn 90 degrees and put your right leg on the bed - hopefully you will be able to see better due to the sunlight and reach without too much stretching.

When finished with that foot, turn 180 degrees so you are facing the other way and then lift your left leg onto the bed. Trim nails.

I’ve always used this method to paint my toe nails!

Reading glasses and a head torch.

I can’t paint mine properly anymore due to a combination of poor vision and large fibroid filled belly

At 53 I also may need to accept I need pedicures and podiatry!

Sit on the bed, put one foot up on the bed, shine a strong light on your foot and you should be all good.

Pilates?

Thank you for this! I can’t remember where or when but I did read something about sitting on the floor and flexibility.

I have just moved myself from the sofa to sitting crossed legged on the floor. The dog can’t believe his luck!

It's true...never cut them.

Another one here relieved it's not just me.

I can reach my toes just fine (I am supple enough I can actually suck my big toes if I wanted to) but in any position where I can operate the nail scissors at the right angle I can't see them - either my leg is in the way, or they're too far for reading glasses but too close for natural eyesight with normal indoor lighting levels.

It's better in the summer, but in winter I have to get someone to point a massive hand-held searchlight at my feet.