Touching Toes at Physical

I have never been asked to do this in an exam but I do include it in play exams.

The classic pose is touching your toes without bending your knees but a significant number of people are unable to do this.

When checking the spine, I ask the patient to bend over but only to bend as far as he is able without straining.

1. I had to do this at the last exam (I’m 56 years old). It was the first time as adult, but I didn’t make physicals every year.

2. I had only briefs (no socks, no gown).

3. I don’t remember.

4. Yes.

When I was a child/teen it was the norm, Even now, my doctor has me bend over and touch my toes during my annual physical. She had explained to me it was a good idea to assess my lower back strength and flexibility during my yearly exam due to the nature of my work. I am sometimes required to conduct mechanical repairs in rather cramped quarters at times. It makes sense to me. So far no serious aches or pains, thank god.

I think this is more a child/teen physical exam or maybe for sports; I remember this at those ages, but not part of the adult routine. I did have something like this for an employment physical with a company Dr. I was in a gown with underwear on. He had me do bending with my arms stretched out a couple of times. Then walk a straight line touching my hands to my nose, something like a test for vision. That was the only adult exam involving bending.

I used to do this in grade school every year at the beginning of the school year to check for scoliosis. Now, only when I had a back injury, but that was only 'bend as much as you can' to check range of motion.

Love this question...

i always have to bend over and touch toes. usually in a gown, which always falls down my body. Does this happen to anyone else?

During teen physicals yes, as I was always naked for exams had nothing on. dr would check my back and then spread my cheeks to look at anal area.

I think this has been part of just about every full physical that I have ever had. It's usually done sometime in the middle of the exam and before any genital or rectal exam. And it really doesn't matter what I'm wearing or not. I could be completely nude (my preference) and they'll still have me stand up and touch my toes. I can only imagine the view that they see of me from behind. I sometimes wonder if they're actually looking at my back when I bend over, or if they're distracted by other things.

I am was usually requested to do this at all my childhood and teenage physicals. I was naked and had to bend over with my back to the doctor and he would spread my cheeks and look at my anal area at the same time.

As an adult, my GP sometimes asks for this and I am naked at that point when he does.

I had to do this when I was in High School as part of my physical. I had to bend over, and touch my toes. The doctor then ran her hands down my back, and then she would pull my underwear down to the top of my butt crack. I was only in my boxer shorts. I have not had this done since I turned 18.

I only recall doing this during my pediatric visits. I was in my tighty whites and would stand on the floor while my doctor, a female pediatrician, would look at my back during the process presumably to check for scoliosis. I also recall one time being asked to do the same for a work physical when I went to work on an ambulance. I suspect it was to determine if I have a pre-existing back injury. I have never had my regular doctor as an adult do this type of exam.

This happened to me. When I was a child I had problems with my back and I had to go for scoliosis exams.

The first happened when I was about 10 or 11. I was completely naked and not wearing a gown. I had to first stand up straight, facing away from the doctor, then bend over forward and hold that position, then stand up straight again. I also had to do other exercises like walking back and forth across the room naked so she could check my gait.

I had to go back for similar follow up exams when I was 12, 13 and 14, but after that the exams stopped and I have not been asked to touch my toes since.

1. Do you still do this at physical exams? If so, every time? if not, at what age did they stop asking you to do that?

Yes - I still do it.

2. If you aren't in an exam gown for the physical, does the doc have you take off your shirt when asking you to touch your toes? If you are in an exam gown, does your doc have you take it off, or turn it around (if it opens in the front?

It is tied at the neck. The back of the gown falls open, but the neck tie keeps it from falling all the way off.

3. Does your doc ask you to "touch toes" or "hang forward at the waist?"

Touch toes

4. Does your doc ever ask you to bend as far as you can?

Yes

1. Do you still do this at physical exams? If so, every time? if not, at what age did they stop asking you to do that?

It stopped after college. But I had to do it a few years ago because I hurt my back.

2. If you aren't in an exam gown for the physical, does the doc have you take off your shirt when asking you to touch your toes? If you are in an exam gown, does your doc have you take it off, or turn it around (if it opens in the front?

I never did it in an exam gown. I kept my clothes on and touched my toes. It was a cheerleader physical from my own doctor.

3. Does your doc ask you to "touch toes" or "hang forward at the waist?"

When I had to do it she would say touch your toes.

4. Does your doc ever ask you to bend as far as you can?

When I hurt my back she said bend over and touch your toes or go as far as you can.

Yes is short answer many times as child in school medicals they checked for spinal deformities once bent over run finger along spine from base skull all way to tail bone , as adult only few times most of these were done by my spinal surgeon in all my pre op exams and twice in check ups after op

Certainly had to touch my toes in most of my medical exams. That has either been in just underpants or stripped to my waist. The doc also runs his/her hand down my spine right to my butt crack. The words used are 'bend over and touch your toes please', would think this should be normal procedure.

Usually have to bend over and touch toes during medicals and chiropractor visits. Usually with shorts on. Only time naked was medical for joining navy. Had to hang from a bar and swing your legs up and hold the pose for a couple of seconds. Often wondered about that one in later life.

Was always told to touch my toes at every pediatrician physical until age 18. Never as an adult.

I have very vague recollections of having had to do that as a child or teenager. Certainly not as an adult.

Never as an adult

My doctor never asks me to do this.

The last time I was asked to touched my toes I was in my underwear, the doctor asked me to bend over and touched my toes, she would run her finger down my back then she pull down the waistband of my undies until the tip of my buttcrack shows and continue to run her finger

Every time i have taken a company physical, i have always been asked to been over as far as i can and touch my toes.

I have not had to do so as an adult but it was common during my child and teenage exams. It was certainly the more embarrassing part.

I have been asked to do this many times by my GP, orthopaedic surgeon and his PA, a few physical therapists and chiropractors. I was either fully clothed or wearing a gown that opens in the back. No big deal, not arousing, not erotic, not embarrassing. I have extreme hypermobility in all my joints. It is now starting to take a toll on my body and work against me a bit off and on.

When younger I have had to touch my toes for the dr... and a few times as an adult I have had to take my shirt off and touch my toes for a chiropractor.

Yes, I remember doing this until maybe 16 or 17 at every physical exam. I was dressed just in my "tighty-whities" briefs. First, my doctor would have me walk around the room, hop on each foot, check my balance by standing on one foot at a time. Then I would standing in front of him he looked that my shoulders, shoulder blades, nipples and hips were all even. Then he had me bend over and toes my toes and hold that position. He would run his fingers down my back then lifted my waistband of my underwear continuing until the top of my butt crack. After that he would pull down my underwear for the genital and hernia exam.

My current doctor has me stand up straight and lift my arms directly above my head, then has me bend down, knees straight, and touch my toes. This takes about 10 seconds max. He says it's to check my spine and flexibility.

I had to touch my toes every year at the pediatrician, but never for any exams as an adult.

As a child, I recall this was the last thing the doctor did and was the only component done standing. As a teen, it always preceded the genital exam since my genital exams were also performed with me standing. This consistency helped limit discomfort and uncertainty since I knew what to expect.

Yes, have had to do that.