to be incapable of cutting my own toenails aged 51

[Goldfsh]

I am fairly fit and flexible, but I don't seem to be able to reach my toenails anymore, OR get them in focus in my damn vari-focus glasses.

Do I need special toe glasses like the ones I have for my computer?!

Is this the age when I need to get someone in to do my toenails?!

I feel about 100 years old and rather embarrassed. DH is just as bad, if not worse. We are now just randomly hacking at our blurred toenails by feel, and getting all sorts of problems.

What am I missing?!

That’s why they may need a weaker pair, same as if you work at a computer with monitors on a desk, which will be further away than a book would be.

My parents once a month book into a podiatrist. They get the nail trim, hard skin removal and footmassge for £40pp. They said its well worth the money.

No to podiatrist and cutting each others toes. You need to work on your mobility till you can put your foot on the loo seat and bend over comfortably to snip. You are only 51 - think what you’ll be like at 81.

She said her knees bend the wrong way so she can’t see her toes. Knee bends foot away from face, hips pivot bent leg upwards until it can be worked on. Hip mobility needed.

My computer glasses are perfect for this job!

No! Don’t pay ££ just go and get them done at one of the many nail salons all round the country

I’m 51 and I can’t get my head around how this is evenpossible? I mean I get the need for glasses. I could put my toes in my mouth if it wanted to. Perhaps time to take up some yoga or Pilates?

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem I thought it was just me. Single vision lenses are much better and bringing my foot up to rest on the vanity unit in the bathroom is better than bending down. Nail clippers are better than scissors and then file the edges smooth.

If you wear varifocals it can be difficult to see the nails through the right part of the lense. Flexibility isn't necessarily the problem, I can put my foot on the bathroom sink which is the easiest way for me but still find it easier with single vision reading glasses.

This just isn’t applicable to everyone, and I’m not sure why you think it would be. I have physio twice a week and exercises every day to improve my mobility. I STILL can’t cut my own toenails, because one of my legs doesn’t do that particular angle any more. It never will, and there’s a lot more surgery in my future. So “no to podiatrists and cutting each other’s” is really shit advice for me, and I doubt I’m the only one on this thread.

But yeah, thanks heaps for the helpful reminder that my mobility is going to be bloody awful when I’m old. That’s really kind of you.

Heaven forbid someone pays a professional trained to deal with foot care.

I'm a Podiatrist and I;m nearly 60 ! I wear glasses ( Varifocals ) I can bend ok .

Filing is much easier for me , my nails are straightforward , none thickened or involuted which is less work .
I do a couple at a time depending on how much they've grown .
And I file them over the loo so no pesky nail bits .

IKR - it's not like we spend 3 years training or any such malarky !

I'm 65 with arthritis in my back and hips and really struggle to cut my toenails. Will a nail bar person cut them? I've never been to a nail bar. Won't they want/need to do my fingernails too? And paint my toenails???

I know what you mean, I can do mine but I can’t paint them myself due to focal length. I must admit through the summer every 6 weeks I get them done professionally, trimmed and painted, £20 well spent, with a full pedicure April and October

I just enjoy having a pedicure and it's sorted!!

File them by feel!

Waiting for hip operation I finally couldn't do it anymore. So now my lovely hairdresser does my hair and a manipedi.

I file mine!

No you don't need them painted but they do put on some oil, then clear varnish which stops my fingernails splitting.

I’m younger than you but don’t have great vision. I mostly do it by feel to be honest.

Wtf? Mid 60s and no trouble cutting mine. Parents did theirs till very late 80s. This is an insane thing to say.

Age has little to do with it. Some people have health issues or disabilities which stop them doing this even when they're very young. Other 90 year olds are super flexible. True, older people are more likely to have problems, on average, and there are things you can do which increase your chances of being able to do this as you get older, like exercise, but not everyone can, and even if you do there are no guarantees!
You could cut your partner's and he yours. If you want. But there's nothing wrong with seeing someone. Me and my son both had to go for an ingrowing toenail years ago, so they see all age-groups.

Pedicures...not a luxury, an essential., summertime nails painted too. Nothings more ageing than ugly feet and bare nails... .

I have to say, cutting nails and wearing varifocals at the grand old age of 44 seems to be getting harder as perimenopause advances and my body slowly falls apart...😳😅 And obviously I'm not even that old!

I'm sure that my DF says nail clippers are best to help cut straight across to avoid the potential problems of ingrown toenails, but I'm not sure I've ever seen any long handled clippers (or even clippers with an actual handle 😳😅😅😅)