has anyone tried this as I have heard it makes movements alot easier? when i lived in tokyo most of the toilets were squatters, here you can forget about it but wondering if it is less difficult/less trauma.
thanks all.
erik

It *is& more natural and better for your anal health than sitting on a toilet. There is little argument about that. It is just very inconvenient for most people -- I tried it for a while but tired of it quickly, wish I had had more motivation -- I think it may have helped a lot.

I saw one of happyass's posts about squatting and have been trying it out for the last couple of days. It has definitely helped me poop a little easier...comes out quicker (thanks happyass). I still had pain/bleeding this morning, but my HOPE is that squatting along with a bunch of other changes I'm putting in place (including dietary), will help me heal my fissure without having to resort to surgery.
Maybe it's obvious...but for anyone who might be confused HOW exactly to squat...here's what I do...flip up both lids, make sure the toilet rim is clean and very dry. Go barefoot -- make sure feet are also completely dry. Think of the rim as a clock, where 12 o'clock would be point furthest from the rest of the toilet. Facing forward (in the same direction as if you were sitting to take a poo) put your feet at the 10 and 2 positions (sort of like how your driving instructor probably told you how to hold the steering wheel). For balance, I place the soles of my feet on the rim...a little uncomfortable, but hey, I'm used to pain at this point. My sink is right in front of my toilet, so I hold on to that for balance. It's important to have something to hold on to for balance.
Squatting on the rim might not be for everyone as there seems to be a potential risk for slipping and hurting yourself. I'm thin and relatively athletic, so it's not too difficult. Only do it if you're comfortable with it.
I traveled to India and Nepal years ago, where everyone squats...I remember when I first tried it, I instantly thought how much better pooping felt. It seems our "civilized" world has gotten a lot of things wrong...

I can't be the only one wondering so let me ask:
When you describe squatting in other countries how are their toilets different to accomodate that or is it just a hole in the ground?
Thanks!

Ha, ha. It actually is sorta like a pit...a porcelain pit. I'll try to describe it as best I can...imagine a toilet that's been flattened like a pancake. It's a big slab of porcelain with a hole in the center. Some of the porcelain around the hole is textured, so that you have traction with your feet while squatting. After you're done doing you're business, you usually use a watering can to wash the poop down the toilet.
Also, I found out the hard way that a lot of places don't have toilet paper. That's because a lot of people use their left hand to wipe...which was one thing I certainly did NOT find appealing.

Thanks for the description-can you believe I was a little embarrased to ask after all we all talk about here!???
So let me ask one more while I am at it. How do you protect your feet? I mean it sounds like the bottom of a shower stall if I am picturing this right. Also, I am assuming you can't just pull your pants down that you actually have to disrobe to do this.
Between washing it down yourself and wiping with your hand-it all sounds terribly messy and maybe a bit too unladylike for me!!! LOL!

If I remember correctly, you wear your shoes on it.
And you don't have to completely disrobe...I think it was similar in that respect to the way we're used to...
It's only unladylike if you wipe with your right hand. That's the hand you eat with. Using that would be downright uncivilized. [/img]

Squatting is 100% easier. I just got this in the mail and it is making going to the bathroom painless.
http://www.naturesplatform.com/
I recommend the larger of the two. at $156.00 it is well worth the money as fissures can cost thousands to fix.
it is also collapsible so I can hide it when guests come over!

It's only unladylike if you wipe with your right hand. That's the hand you eat with. Using that would be downright uncivilized.
Yes, well thanks for clearing THAT up!
And thanks for the link, Erik! Wish they had a model with handle bars.

Lecia wrote: Wish they had a model with handle bars.

On their FAQ page, they advise people who feel unsteady to put a chair in front of the toilet and hold onto the back of the chair. Sort of like training wheels.