Huyen’s fingers are spread out and curved in one direction. When she stands, her two big toes touch each other. The special characteristic is inborn. As time goes on, the toes become more and more curved, turning in towards each other. By the age of 18, her toes had fully developed with her big toes lengthening and touching each other every time she stood up straight.

“I thought this was a physical defect. People often said my feet looked like ginger roots,” Huyen said.

Her parents and other seven siblings lack this special characteristic. Her father told her when she was a child that her great-grandfather also had curved feet.

Because of her feet, shoes are difficult to fit, and she cannot walk as quickly as other people.

“I can walk slowly, but I can’t run or walk quickly, because when I run, the toes will get stuck into each other and I will fall on the ground,” she explained. “Now as I am old, I have to be even more cautious when walking."

Bui Hanh, Huyen’s husband, told the press that he noticed her feet the first moment they met. Some people told him that it was a defect, while others said her curved feet were inherited from previous generations.

“The only special thing of hers is the curved feet. Her health condition has always been good. She had to work hard all year round, but she rarely fell sick,” Hanh said.

Hanh and Huyen have five children and many grandchildren, but none has special feet like Huyen’s.

Huyen still has a sound mind and good physical health. Every day, Hanh harvests agricultural products for her to bring to the market to sell. Due to her age and feet, she has begun feeling inconvenient.

"We have got old, while my children work far away, so only the two of us live together. As her feet make it difficult to move, I told her to use a stick. We carry farm produce to the market by bikes. The bicycle helps her walk more steadily,” Hanh said.

Analysts call the special feet ‘Giao Chi feet’. Some people, but very few, have had similar feet. Most of them had good health and a long life span.

D. Tri