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> 2. It is better than the squat toilet in terms of the extreme stress on the knees" Yeah, the first thing that worry me, when I read about squat toilets, is a

> 2. It is better than the squat toilet in terms of the extreme stress on the knees" Yeah, the first thing that worry me, when I read about squat toilets, is accessibility. Basically, if I were to get a house and install one of those, how much would 80 year old me (presuming I live that long, hah?) hate the 37 year old me every time they had to poop? Apparently people often don't really consider that, say, building houses with stairs that are nice when you're 20, but become hard to navigate later on, and if you end up becoming a wheelchair user, may be impossible to retrofit with a lift.

alistairSH 8y ago
Much of the developing world still squats, not just over their toilet, but also for sitting/resting in open spaces. I'd bet excessive knee stress is a "Western" thing, caused by poor joint flexibility and poor core strength.
- eightysixfour 8y ago
  A lot of the difference is ankle mobility, westerners don’t sit in the resting squat position often and their ankle joints have less range of motion as a result. Many westerner’s heel will lift off the ground attempting an Asian/Slavic squat.
  - ghthor 8y ago
    Which puts a lot more stress on the knee joint. It's also hip mobility that causes this, people and unwilling or unable to press there abdomen against there thigh, which is much more supportive and helps get into a proper squat.
- sjg007 8y ago
  Hmm.. I played as a catcher in baseball for 4 years in high school and my knees still hate me. Maybe it was the break after until now but...
- LaGrange 8y ago
  You would assume wrongly: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Seat_for_people_with_disabilities_to_use_a_pit_latrine_squatting_pan_%28Pakistan%29_%285600799213%29.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Seat_for... Also, as a person who grew up in "developing world" (though by now thoroughly "developed," i.e. become a part of EU), how are you imagining the world? That people don't have chairs? Just because I might squat while eating on a camping trip to a forest doesn't mean I don't know what a table looks like. Most of that legendary squatting happens in situations a westerner would just either stand or sit on the ground.
  - alistairSH 8y ago
    Where did I say any of that? Of course people sit in chairs, when they're available. But, when they aren't, people in many parts of the world will squat (vs Westerners who remain standing, or sit on the ground).
    - LaGrange 8y ago
      That amount of squatting will help you about as much as walking to your nearest bus stop every day. It's really not that much. The image westerners have comes from a shock of seeing anyone squatting ever, not from how much the "slavs" actually squat.
      - alistairSH 8y ago
        It's not that squatting, in general, is helpful. It's that if you don't squat, you lose the ability to squat comfortably. I was initially responding to a comment about squatting blowing out knees, which doesn't seem to be a problem in regions where adults continue to squat some of the time.
      - dragonwriter 8y ago
        > That amount of squatting will help you about as much as walking to your nearest bus stop every day With general fitness, sure. With squatting form, though, that kind of low-volume but regular practice once the movement is established will do quite well at maintaining it. Squatting doesn't hurt Western ones because of poor general fitness, but bad form.
oliveshell 8y ago
If you’ve never done it, you might be relieved to hear how easy it is to replace a toilet. Toilets are heavy, but two people can easily lift one. There are two bolts to remove and one water connection to unscrew; the actual drainpipe seal is made by an easy-to-replace wax ring. I just helped a friend replace two toilets in a house he bought, and each job took less than two hours (to remove the old toilet and install the new).

alistairSH 8y ago

Much of the developing world still squats, not just over their toilet, but also for sitting/resting in open spaces. I'd bet excessive knee stress is a "Western" thing, caused by poor joint flexibility and poor core strength.

eightysixfour 8y ago
A lot of the difference is ankle mobility, westerners don’t sit in the resting squat position often and their ankle joints have less range of motion as a result. Many westerner’s heel will lift off the ground attempting an Asian/Slavic squat.
- ghthor 8y ago
  Which puts a lot more stress on the knee joint. It's also hip mobility that causes this, people and unwilling or unable to press there abdomen against there thigh, which is much more supportive and helps get into a proper squat.
sjg007 8y ago
Hmm.. I played as a catcher in baseball for 4 years in high school and my knees still hate me. Maybe it was the break after until now but...
LaGrange 8y ago
You would assume wrongly: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Seat_for_people_with_disabilities_to_use_a_pit_latrine_squatting_pan_%28Pakistan%29_%285600799213%29.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Seat_for... Also, as a person who grew up in "developing world" (though by now thoroughly "developed," i.e. become a part of EU), how are you imagining the world? That people don't have chairs? Just because I might squat while eating on a camping trip to a forest doesn't mean I don't know what a table looks like. Most of that legendary squatting happens in situations a westerner would just either stand or sit on the ground.
- alistairSH 8y ago
  Where did I say any of that? Of course people sit in chairs, when they're available. But, when they aren't, people in many parts of the world will squat (vs Westerners who remain standing, or sit on the ground).
  - LaGrange 8y ago
    That amount of squatting will help you about as much as walking to your nearest bus stop every day. It's really not that much. The image westerners have comes from a shock of seeing anyone squatting ever, not from how much the "slavs" actually squat.
    - alistairSH 8y ago
      It's not that squatting, in general, is helpful. It's that if you don't squat, you lose the ability to squat comfortably. I was initially responding to a comment about squatting blowing out knees, which doesn't seem to be a problem in regions where adults continue to squat some of the time.
    - dragonwriter 8y ago
      > That amount of squatting will help you about as much as walking to your nearest bus stop every day With general fitness, sure. With squatting form, though, that kind of low-volume but regular practice once the movement is established will do quite well at maintaining it. Squatting doesn't hurt Western ones because of poor general fitness, but bad form.

oliveshell 8y ago

If you’ve never done it, you might be relieved to hear how easy it is to replace a toilet. Toilets are heavy, but two people can easily lift one. There are two bolts to remove and one water connection to unscrew; the actual drainpipe seal is made by an easy-to-replace wax ring. I just helped a friend replace two toilets in a house he bought, and each job took less than two hours (to remove the old toilet and install the new).