A woman who lost the use of her hands after a debilitating illness has learnt paint, embroider and even give her husband a trim - just by using her feet. Bai Aixiang's feet are so dexterous, she can even change the blades on the razor before she sets to work shaving the head of her husband Ma Wanwa, 70, at their home in Heyuan, in north-western China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Bai  contracted polio at the age of 12 which left her hands permanently deformed while a later disease robbed her of what little use she had left. Chinese woman Bai Aixiang has learnt to use her feet for everything- even trimming her husband's hair- since contracting polio as a child which left her hands deformed . With her hands completely unusable, the 49-year-old decided to teach herself how to use her feet to carry out day-to-day activities. 'I learned to do many of the things an able-bodied person would do,' she said. 'I knew that one day my parents would not be around for me and in any case even as a young girl I managed to learn a lot of stuff just by using my feet. 'I can cook, I can even do needlework or wash clothes or whatever. Shaving my husband's head is really quite easy in comparison with sewing.' The 49-year-old often gives her husband Ma Wanwa a haircut at their home in Heyuan township in Jingyuan county in north-western China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region . Bai's feet are so dexterous, she can even change the blades on the razor before she sets to work . Because of her disability, Bai had struggled to find a husband and had resigned herself to living her life alone . But her life  changed when her neighbours introduced her at the age of 33 to Ma (pictured kissing her foot) who  tried to persuade her to marry him despite the 21-year-age difference . Winter days are the harshest time for Bai, she said, because her feet go numb when she keeps them uncovered and works with freezing cold water. Because of her disability, Bai said she had struggled to find a husband and had resigned herself to living her life alone. But at the age of 33, her neighbours introduced her at to widower Ma, then 54, who was living with his daughter. He fell for her instantly and asked her to marry him despite the 21-year-age difference. She said: 'I didn't mind about the age difference but I regarded him as somebody not suitable because he had already had a wife and although she had died he had a daughter and I just felt he wasn't right for me.' But, after a little persuasion by her parents, Bai agreed to the wedding and now the couple dote on one another. She said: 'I had a daughter with him but we lost her in 2000, and although I was devastated the loss brought us closer together and now I really have to say that we love each other a lot.' She admitted she had taken a little persuading by her parents to agree to marry the widower but had finally accepted . After the tragic loss of their daughter, the couple are closer than ever and Ma is always happy for his wife to give him a trim (pictured wiping off the hair after the shave) Bai (pictured washing up) has learnt to use her feet for everything after contracting polio at the age of 12 which left her hands deformed . Bai's artwork: Her feet are very capable and she uses them to cook, wash clothes, embroider and even paint (pictured) A cross-stitch piece of work made by polio sufferer Bai who taught herself how to use her feet after realising her parents would not always be around to help her .
Bai Aixiang, 49, lost the use of her hands after contracting polio as a child .
But she taught herself to use her feet to allow her to carry out daily tasks .
Her feet are so dexterous she can paint, embroider and even use a razor .
A woman who lost the use of her hands after a debilitating illness has learnt paint, embroider and even give her husband a trim - just by using her feet. Bai Aixiang's feet are so dexterous, she can even change the blades on the razor before she sets to work shaving the head of her husband Ma Wanwa, 70, at their home in Heyuan, in north-western China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Bai  contracted polio at the age of 12 which left her hands permanently deformed while a later disease robbed her of what little use she had left. Chinese woman Bai Aixiang has learnt to use her feet for everything- even trimming her husband's hair- since contracting polio as a child which left her hands deformed . With her hands completely unusable, the 49-year-old decided to teach herself how to use her feet to carry out day-to-day activities. 'I learned to do many of the things an able-bodied person would do,' she said. 'I knew that one day my parents would not be around for me and in any case even as a young girl I managed to learn a lot of stuff just by using my feet. 'I can cook, I can even do needlework or wash clothes or whatever. Shaving my husband's head is really quite easy in comparison with sewing.' The 49-year-old often gives her husband Ma Wanwa a haircut at their home in Heyuan township in Jingyuan county in north-western China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region . Bai's feet are so dexterous, she can even change the blades on the razor before she sets to work . Because of her disability, Bai had struggled to find a husband and had resigned herself to living her life alone . But her life changed when her neighbours introduced her at the age of 33 to Ma (pictured kissing her foot) who tried to persuade her to marry him despite the 21-year-age difference . Winter days are the harshest time for Bai, she said, because her feet go numb when she keeps them uncovered and works with freezing cold water. Because of her disability, Bai said she had struggled to find a husband and had resigned herself to living her life alone. But at the age of 33, her neighbours introduced her at to widower Ma, then 54, who was living with his daughter. He fell for her instantly and asked her to marry him despite the 21-year-age difference. She said: 'I didn't mind about the age difference but I regarded him as somebody not suitable because he had already had a wife and although she had died he had a daughter and I just felt he wasn't right for me.' But, after a little persuasion by her parents, Bai agreed to the wedding and now the couple dote on one another. She said: 'I had a daughter with him but we lost her in 2000, and although I was devastated the loss brought us closer together and now I really have to say that we love each other a lot.' She admitted she had taken a little persuading by her parents to agree to marry the widower but had finally accepted . After the tragic loss of their daughter, the couple are closer than ever and Ma is always happy for his wife to give him a trim (pictured wiping off the hair after the shave) Bai (pictured washing up) has learnt to use her feet for everything after contracting polio at the age of 12 which left her hands deformed . Bai's artwork: Her feet are very capable and she uses them to cook, wash clothes, embroider and even paint (pictured) A cross-stitch piece of work made by polio sufferer Bai who taught herself how to use her feet after realising her parents would not always be around to help her .
A woman who lost the use of her hands after a husband's hair- since contracting polio as a Region . Bai's feet are so dexterous, she can embroider and even paint (pictured) A Bai who taught herself how to use her feet after