The anatomy of the human body has characteristics that have been studied over the centuries . In fact, the great diversity of shapes, measures and proportions of different parts of the body is interesting for the medical community as well as for any person.

One of the most studied body parts is the feet. Since we have to support all our weight when we are upright, the feet are of fundamental importance, and the fact that there are different types of feet does not cease to be curious because it shows us certain signs of how evolution has adapted these extremities to the needs of human movement.

Types of feet: what are they and what makes them different?

In this article we will learn what types of feet exist and how they are classified according to different medical and anatomical variables. In addition, we will know why some forms of the feet make the person more or less likely to develop certain podiatric pathologies.

The most recurrent way of classifying feet is as follows:

1. Flat foot

The plantar vault has little or no height . This means that, in an upright position, the person with flat feet has the entire surface of the sole of the foot in contact with the ground.

2. Pes cavo

Cavus foot is the opposite of flat foot . In cavus foot, the plantar vault is very high, so the person standing will have little surface area of his or her feet in contact with the ground.

3. Normal foot

When we speak of a normal foot in terms of the height of the plantar vault, we mean that the height of the plantar vault is average. That is, is neither too high nor too low . In general, a normal foot also correlates with better podiatric health.

Different ways to classify the feet

Although the plantar vault marks a very useful parameter when classifying the different kinds of feet that exist, it is not the only way to carry out this classification.

For example, another way to evaluate foot types is based on measuring the size of the toes and their proportions to the rest . Although this theory does not have a great scientific support, it is usually said that there are three forms of the feet in terms of the position and proportions of the toes, each form being “prototypical” of the people of several civilizations in history: Egyptians, Greeks and Romans .

We are therefore faced with the following distinction:

1. Egyptian foot

In the Egyptian foot the toes form a diagonal line , with the second toe not protruding above the big toe. In other words, the second toe is shorter than the first.

Statistics say it is the most common foot morphology, with over 50% of the population. In fact, footwear manufacturers often use this reference to make shoe lasts.

2. Greek foot

Are the feet whose second toe is longer than the big toe . It is estimated that between 12 and 16% of the population has this type of foot. People who have this type of foot may have some podological difficulty, as it is common for footwear not to adapt to this characteristic.

If your feet have this shape, it is advisable that you take great care in how and where you select your footwear, to avoid discomfort and podological disorders. The name “Greek foot” is usually given because some Greek sculptures show this particular morphological characteristic.

3. Roman (or square) foot

These are feet where the length of the big toe and the second toe are equal . They are not very frequent and tend to be wider than usual feet. This means that people with square feet need special footwear with a width that allows them to step comfortably and without risk of injury.

The length of the metatarsal, another way of classifying them

Another way of classifying the types of feet, somewhat more technical, is to look at the length of the first metatarsal , that is, the antepenultimate bone that joins the structure of the foot to the tip of the big toe.

According to this peculiarity, which has a great influence on the probability of developing bunions and other disorders depending on the shape of our feet, we find these three kinds of feet.

1. Index minus

In this case, the first metatarsal is clearly shorter than the second one . As podiatrists point out, this anatomical feature means that the second metatarsal is subjected to a greater load during, for example, a walk, so it is common for people with Index minus to suffer from overloading and even bunions.

2. Index plus

In this case, the first metatarsal is longer than the second one . People with this type of foot may be more prone to developing certain podiatric disorders, such as sesmoiditis (inflammation of the bones of the first metatarsal) and hallux rigidus (difficulty in moving the big toe joint).

3. Index plus minus

In the Index plus minus foot type, the first metatarsal and the second have a very similar length , or equal. As we have seen, the length of the metatarsals has some important implications, above all on a medical level, as having one form or another correlates with developing, or not, certain pathologies of the foot.

Bibliographic references:

  • France, Diane L. (2008). Human and Nonhuman Bone Identification: A Color Atlas. CRC Press.
  • Hawes MR, Sovak D. (2007). “Quantitative morphology of the human foot in a North American population. Ergonomics.
  • Marieb, Elaine Nicpon; Hoehn, Katja (2007). Human anatomy & physiology. Pearson Education.