Toe
From Freepedia
- This article refers to the digits of the foot. See disambiguation for other uses.
Image:Toes.jpg Toes are the digits of the foot of a human or animal.
In humans, the toe includes the phalanges of the foot's skeleton; the bones of each toe continue all the way to the heel, although in from the base of the toes they are united in the body of the foot. The innermost toe (the leftmost one on the right foot, see picture) is by far the thickest (big toe, great toe, or hallux); the one on the other end is short and thin.
The toes, especially the big toe, play an essential role in walking, although a loss of the smallest toe will not affect gait.
Many animal species walk on their toes, and are called digitigrade. (Humans and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet are plantigrade; hoofed animals are unguligrade.)
On the toes are nails, as we have on our fingers. They are called toenails.
Some people's second toe is actually larger than their first toe, a condition called morton's foot, which causes a lot of problems to runners.
Some people have hairs on the joints of their toes. This is called "hairy digits" and is inherited from parents. It is believed by some to have been left behind when humans evolved from apes when they would have had paws rather than feet.
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