A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

DIY Mid-Foot Amputation

A friend of mine (who is very experienced in this subject) recently did this DIY foot shortening — and this definitely has to be the limits of what’s possible in a DIY setting. I hope it heals well (it’s two weeks old in this photo)! More pictures are in BME/extreme‘s amputation galleries.

PS. It’s quite an old interview, but you may want to read this interview about voluntary amputation (free link) if you’d like to learn a little more about the “why” end of things, or if you’re a BME/Video member, this video interview about ampuation (as well as a demonstration) is very much worth checking out.

Comments

272 responses to “DIY Mid-Foot Amputation”

  1. Je Suis Avatar
    Je Suis

    Issues….

  2. Je Suis Avatar
    Je Suis

    Issues….

  3. Je Suis Avatar
    Je Suis

    I wish that i to, could be a wobbly motherfucker.

    Nahh on second thoughts id prefer to have an entire foot…

    Kinda makes me disappointed that my uncle who lost a foot not long ago would do anything to have it back, while there are people willing to remove theirs for fun. Self amputation like this sorta makes me think these people need some help.

  4. Je Suis Avatar
    Je Suis

    I wish that i to, could be a wobbly motherfucker.

    Nahh on second thoughts id prefer to have an entire foot…

    Kinda makes me disappointed that my uncle who lost a foot not long ago would do anything to have it back, while there are people willing to remove theirs for fun. Self amputation like this sorta makes me think these people need some help.

  5. RayBombay Avatar
    RayBombay

    #3 there are people in the world who would give anything for a few bucks to get food into their childs stomach and think of the things you waste money on.. or the food you waste..
    I think it looks better without the toes anyways. toes kind of suck. I wonder how it is to walk without them though…

  6. RayBombay Avatar
    RayBombay

    #3 there are people in the world who would give anything for a few bucks to get food into their childs stomach and think of the things you waste money on.. or the food you waste..
    I think it looks better without the toes anyways. toes kind of suck. I wonder how it is to walk without them though…

  7. Lares Avatar
    Lares

    #3 I think -you- need help.

  8. Lares Avatar
    Lares

    #3 I think -you- need help.

  9. melissa Avatar
    melissa

    is it a bit harder to keep balance?

    that looks insane….i cant even imagine how it must feel…it hurts like hell when i stub my toe ha

  10. melissa Avatar
    melissa

    is it a bit harder to keep balance?

    that looks insane….i cant even imagine how it must feel…it hurts like hell when i stub my toe ha

  11. Umbilica Avatar
    Umbilica

    #4, from what I’ve seen and heard, it’s apparently not too difficult to walk without toes once you’ve become accustomed to it. I have a friend whose entire foot was amputated after she developed some rare bone-related disease, leaving only the heel (in the end, however, the elusive bone disease turned out to be a false alarm. Way to go, doctor.) She doesn’t wear a prosthetic foot, and she runs around in platform boots like a chicken with its head cut off.

  12. Umbilica Avatar
    Umbilica

    #4, from what I’ve seen and heard, it’s apparently not too difficult to walk without toes once you’ve become accustomed to it. I have a friend whose entire foot was amputated after she developed some rare bone-related disease, leaving only the heel (in the end, however, the elusive bone disease turned out to be a false alarm. Way to go, doctor.) She doesn’t wear a prosthetic foot, and she runs around in platform boots like a chicken with its head cut off.

  13. Briggden Avatar

    haha the term DIY gets me everytime. DO IT YOURSELF (^o^)

  14. Briggden Avatar

    haha the term DIY gets me everytime. DO IT YOURSELF (^o^)

  15. Milton78 Avatar

    Can someone describe the appeal of this? What is it about a toeless foot that people would find pleasing?

  16. Milton78 Avatar

    Can someone describe the appeal of this? What is it about a toeless foot that people would find pleasing?

  17. Brian xVx Avatar
    Brian xVx

    ….DIY amputation….?
    OWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

  18. Brian xVx Avatar
    Brian xVx

    ….DIY amputation….?
    OWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

  19. Liz Avatar
    Liz

    I don’t know… just that I can specifically recall thoughts back from when I was a child. I would be riding along in the car, and fantasize about being in a wreck and coming out perfectly unscathed, except for my whole hand being chopped off. There were other fantasies about losing an eye. For some reason I reallllly wanted to either be one-handed or one-eyed! It had nothing to do with pirates, either, I swear! I just find it fascinating that I had these fantasies when I was a little kid, and that people can still have these till maturity and actually go through with it. It’s weird.

  20. Liz Avatar
    Liz

    I don’t know… just that I can specifically recall thoughts back from when I was a child. I would be riding along in the car, and fantasize about being in a wreck and coming out perfectly unscathed, except for my whole hand being chopped off. There were other fantasies about losing an eye. For some reason I reallllly wanted to either be one-handed or one-eyed! It had nothing to do with pirates, either, I swear! I just find it fascinating that I had these fantasies when I was a little kid, and that people can still have these till maturity and actually go through with it. It’s weird.

  21. moddoctor Avatar

    I love this community. It’s all about the love, or not for each other. What 3 is trying to express is total perplexity at the notion of self amputation. I understand this perplexity, but to condemn that is more wrong than #3 thinking that foot shortening might be a little too extreme for him to comprehend. Lashing out for not understanding doesn’t prove your appreciation for somebody’s mod or their razor’s edge extremeness. It just shows that your bigotry is different.

    Honestly, I can’t take the high road here completely because trying to understand something this is something I can’t do. I just don’t grock the appeal at all.

  22. moddoctor Avatar

    I love this community. It’s all about the love, or not for each other. What 3 is trying to express is total perplexity at the notion of self amputation. I understand this perplexity, but to condemn that is more wrong than #3 thinking that foot shortening might be a little too extreme for him to comprehend. Lashing out for not understanding doesn’t prove your appreciation for somebody’s mod or their razor’s edge extremeness. It just shows that your bigotry is different.

    Honestly, I can’t take the high road here completely because trying to understand something this is something I can’t do. I just don’t grock the appeal at all.

  23. Cijai Avatar
    Cijai

    hmm.. that’s interesting.
    i’d be afraid i’d bleed to death.
    and how did they cut through bone?
    this makes me think of Saw.
    hah.

    i love this site!
    it makes me feel more openminded every time i look at it.
    and i realize how closeminded some people here still are.
    you can’t control what other people do.
    live and let live.
    right?

  24. Cijai Avatar
    Cijai

    hmm.. that’s interesting.
    i’d be afraid i’d bleed to death.
    and how did they cut through bone?
    this makes me think of Saw.
    hah.

    i love this site!
    it makes me feel more openminded every time i look at it.
    and i realize how closeminded some people here still are.
    you can’t control what other people do.
    live and let live.
    right?

  25. Mikey Avatar

    I am in love with this.

  26. Mikey Avatar

    I am in love with this.

  27. keek Avatar

    seriously announcement) have a good healing

  28. keek Avatar

    seriously announcement) have a good healing

  29. Commodore Josh Avatar
    Commodore Josh

    This guy does not need help, he needs attention. That’s why he cut his foot off.

  30. Commodore Josh Avatar
    Commodore Josh

    This guy does not need help, he needs attention. That’s why he cut his foot off.

  31. Sage Avatar
    Sage

    …Why?

  32. Sage Avatar
    Sage

    …Why?

  33. Grps Avatar
    Grps

    This is one of the mods I don’t understnad and one of the few I woulnd’t consider having (including nullification or other genitalia mods, I woulnd’t have even a PA right now…).

    But hey, to everybody her\his own. (I like to take into consideration that not so long ago people with, like bifurcated tongues or other “heavier” mods were considered to be mildly unstable. I just wonder if this has the potential to become more or less “mainstream”, given the fact that mostly it’s really permanent)

  34. Grps Avatar
    Grps

    This is one of the mods I don’t understnad and one of the few I woulnd’t consider having (including nullification or other genitalia mods, I woulnd’t have even a PA right now…).

    But hey, to everybody her\his own. (I like to take into consideration that not so long ago people with, like bifurcated tongues or other “heavier” mods were considered to be mildly unstable. I just wonder if this has the potential to become more or less “mainstream”, given the fact that mostly it’s really permanent)

  35. toast Avatar

    I was wondering about cutting the bone, too, but looking more closely it looks like it was taken off to follow the joints.

    Somehow though, the thought of dislocating each toe in turn makes me cringe a little more, whereas driving a sharp chisel clean through the bone doesn’t. I think it’s from preparing meat, and revelling in that schlucking noise and popping feeling of dislocating leg bones… I can’t quite come to terms with applying the same sort of brute force to my own joints!

    Still, if you’re reconciled to it and looking forward to the result, it must be so satisfying to hear each pop off in turn. Any chance of a good n’ gory text account of this? I’m even more curious about the practical aspects than the motivation 🙂

    And finally, what became of the removed tissue? Appetisers? Ornament? A little set of phalangeal pan-pipes, maybe, or a small toe bone xylophone?

  36. toast Avatar

    I was wondering about cutting the bone, too, but looking more closely it looks like it was taken off to follow the joints.

    Somehow though, the thought of dislocating each toe in turn makes me cringe a little more, whereas driving a sharp chisel clean through the bone doesn’t. I think it’s from preparing meat, and revelling in that schlucking noise and popping feeling of dislocating leg bones… I can’t quite come to terms with applying the same sort of brute force to my own joints!

    Still, if you’re reconciled to it and looking forward to the result, it must be so satisfying to hear each pop off in turn. Any chance of a good n’ gory text account of this? I’m even more curious about the practical aspects than the motivation 🙂

    And finally, what became of the removed tissue? Appetisers? Ornament? A little set of phalangeal pan-pipes, maybe, or a small toe bone xylophone?

  37. kuroneko711 Avatar

    1-My take on amputations is that I could never do it, but its their body, and I’d never try and tell someone they cant do something to their own body.

    2- I’m suprised no ones said “they didnt get hugged enough as a child” yet. Plesently suprised, I hate when people say that.

  38. kuroneko711 Avatar

    1-My take on amputations is that I could never do it, but its their body, and I’d never try and tell someone they cant do something to their own body.

    2- I’m suprised no ones said “they didnt get hugged enough as a child” yet. Plesently suprised, I hate when people say that.

  39. toast Avatar

    Ooh, or keep a toe in a bottle of vodka or something & challenge new guests to drink a shot…

    Hang a pair from your rear view mirror for luck…

    If there’s enough toenail, a big toe could be an awesome novelty plectrum!

    OK, I’m going to bed, no more dismembered toe uses tonight.

  40. toast Avatar

    Ooh, or keep a toe in a bottle of vodka or something & challenge new guests to drink a shot…

    Hang a pair from your rear view mirror for luck…

    If there’s enough toenail, a big toe could be an awesome novelty plectrum!

    OK, I’m going to bed, no more dismembered toe uses tonight.

  41. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    Toes are just annoying anyways.

  42. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    Toes are just annoying anyways.

  43. lilangel311 Avatar
    lilangel311

    I feel a don’t knock it till you try it kinda way on things of this nature when its voluntary, its not on my top 100 list to do but if it makes someone feel more whole with less then so be it.

  44. lilangel311 Avatar
    lilangel311

    I feel a don’t knock it till you try it kinda way on things of this nature when its voluntary, its not on my top 100 list to do but if it makes someone feel more whole with less then so be it.

  45. Jessica Avatar

    I’m glad I finally don’t seem to have Train Wreck Syndrome anymore. As much as I want to see that video interview, I simply can’t watch it as I find the subject revolting. Yes, to each his own but I can’t hear/watch/know/read anything about it!

  46. Jessica Avatar

    I’m glad I finally don’t seem to have Train Wreck Syndrome anymore. As much as I want to see that video interview, I simply can’t watch it as I find the subject revolting. Yes, to each his own but I can’t hear/watch/know/read anything about it!

  47. Moe Avatar

    Good job! I am forever envious of people who can perform DIY projects, especially one of this magnitude. I hope that the wearer of this mod is happy about how well it turned out.

  48. Moe Avatar

    Good job! I am forever envious of people who can perform DIY projects, especially one of this magnitude. I hope that the wearer of this mod is happy about how well it turned out.

Latest Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News

  • A Nightbird’s Passage
    Some stories take their time, unfolding over decades, through life’s long detours and diversions. But dreams never rest until they’re fully realized. Even after 15 years, Robb knew there was still a suspension experience waiting for him. Something left unfinished, something essential. At OSC last… Read more: A Nightbird’s Passage
  • What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
    First suspensions are rarely just about the body— they’re a meeting point between the physical and the deeply personal. Stepping into this experience isn’t simply about trying something new, but about stepping outside yourself to a version you had always sensed was waiting. I’ve had… Read more: What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
  • Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
    One of the most powerful things about being at a convention like OSC is the sheer concentration of experience, creativity, and capability in one place. When you’re surrounded by people who not only understand the technical complexities of suspension but are excited by the challenge… Read more: Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
  • Twelve Points to the Sky
    There’s a particular kind of magic that happens at your first big suspension gathering when you arrive with nerves, an open heart, and the quiet hope of flight. Guided by the encouragement of mentor Lynn Loheide and driven by the quiet confidence of belonging, Alex… Read more: Twelve Points to the Sky
  • Ontario SusCon 2025
    In March 2025, BME attended the Ontario Suspension Convention in Hamilton, hosted by the Kevin Donaghy and the Ontario Suspension Collective. We had the pleasure to take part and help document the event, but also run a booth to sell a bunch of old (but… Read more: Ontario SusCon 2025
  • Welcome Back to Body Modification Ezine
    Dear BME Community, We’ve been gone far too long, but BME is back to give people a voice, a space, a community. With time everything evolves, and BME may be different than you remember. Our goal is to stay true to Shannon and Rachel’s values… Read more: Welcome Back to Body Modification Ezine