Tying Shoes One-handed

Rebecca Dutton
Home After a Stroke

November 15, 2015

I shuddered when my OT put brown shoelaces on my beige shoes.  I had forgotten elastic shoelaces only come in black, brown, and white.  I want to wear the color-coordinated laces I paid for.  I refuse to wear shoes with Velcro straps that a 10 year old would be embarrassed to wear to school.  I was horrified when my PT suggested I wear jogging shoes.  It would upset me to give a professional presentation or go to a wedding with shoes that an able-bodied adult would not wear.

I pull the free end of the lace shown in photo #1 across the shoe and slip my index finger under the top horizontal lace (photo #2).  My index finger is pointing towards my body.  I use the tip of my index finger to drag the lace that is under the horizontal lace to make a loop.

Photo #3 shows I used my thumb to push the lace through the 1st loop to create a 2nd loop.  You cannot see the 1st loop because my thumb is in it.  I take my thumb out of the 1st loop and yank the 2nd loop side to side to tighten the half slipknot.

With time the shoe lace stretches so I tuck in the free end of the lace so I will not trip over it.

Dutton, R. (2013)  My Last Degree: A Therapist Goes Home After a Stroke, 2nd ed., pp. 90-95.  Bangor, Maine: Booklocker.

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Tying Shoes One-handed

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Home After a Stroke