Toe Crusher

A closeup of a right foot wearing a white bodysuit. A doubled blue rope enters from the top of the image and disappears under four wraps of rope that make a counter-clockwise spiral around the toes. Each wrap goes over the toes before going down between two toes. The wraps are tidy and snug against each other. The tail of the rope is tied in a half hitch around the vertical line and exits to the right of the image.

The toe crusher is a very simple technique that’s a ton of fun.

Be careful with this technique! Toes are small and delicate, and a little pressure goes a long way. Start out slow and gentle, and increase the intensity slowly. We wouldn’t tie this on anyone with arthritis or other joint issues that affect the toes.

Step by step

A right foot in a white bodysuit faces the camera. The bight of a doubled blue rope enters from the right of the image (on the inside of the foot), crosses over the big toe, and goes around the big toe, ending up next to the big toe on the inside of the foot. The tail of the rope passes through the bight, making a lark’s head.

1Make a lark’s head around the big toe with the rope exiting toward the inside of the foot.

The rope makes a 180° turn and doubles back to the left of the image, lying on top of all the toes.

2Double back toward the outside of the foot, making a reverse tension.

The rope goes down between the second and third toes, then under the second toe and big toe, exiting to the right of the image. The rope is beginning to make a counter-clockwise spiral around the toes.

3Go down between the second and third toes and back under the foot to the inside of the foot.

The rope makes another wrap in the spiral, going left over the top of the foot, down between the third and fourth toes, and then under the foot, exiting to the right.

4Go over the foot, down between the third and fourth toes, and back under the foot.

The rope makes two more wraps in the spiral, going between the fourth and fifth toes, and around the outside of the fifth toe. It once again passes under the foot and exits to the right of the image. All the wraps in the spiral are tidy and snug against each other.

5Keep going in a spiral until you have wrapped around all the toes.

Variant: secured to calf

The legs of a person in a white bodysuit face the camera. A doubled blue rope has been tied in a single column tie about three inches below the right knee.

1Begin with a column tie below the knee.

Avoid the knee joint and the common peroneal nerve, which is vulnerable just below the knee on the outside of the leg.

The rope comes down and goes between the big and second toes, then passes under the big toe, exiting the image to the right.

2Go down between the big toe and the second toe, then under the big toe toward the inside of the foot.

The rope comes up the outside of the big toe, crosses over the big and second toes in front of the vertical line, goes down between the second and third toes, and goes underneath the foot, exiting the image to the right.

3Go around the big toe, over the connecting rope, and down between the second and third toes.

The rope makes a counter-clockwise spiral around the foot. Each wrap crosses over the top of the foot in front of the vertical line but behind the previous wrap, goes down between two toes, then under the foot. The final wrap goes around the fifth toe, so there are a total of four wraps on top of the foot. All the wraps are tidy and snug against each other.

4Working in a spiral, wrap each toe in turn, making sure to go over the connecting rope each time.

The rope comes up the inside of the foot and makes a half hitch around the vertical line by going behind it, around it, and under itself.

5After the final wrap, go under the foot and finish with a half hitch around the connecting rope.

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