Development of the foot

Image showing advice on healthy feet from Dr. Norbert L. Becker

Exclusive tips from Dr. Norbert L. Becker

Development of the foot

Dr. med. Becker-Blog - for Bär Manufaktur für bequeme Schuhe GmbH Welcome here at Bär! I would like to tell you something about the parts of the body that Bär covers in various articles in this blog over the next few weeks: The feet! Don't worry: this is not intended to be a medical lecture, but it will provide you with important information about the structure and function of your feet and thus make it easier for you to choose shoes for your feet that are functional, comfortable to wear and therefore comfortable.

My article today is about the development of the foot, with a view to evolution, but also with regard to the changes from the child's foot to the adult and the aged foot.

Around 4 million years ago, the feet of our ancestors had already developed from a flat gripping organ, which was difficult to stand on and could not walk for long periods, to the shape of our feet today. They made it possible to stand on two legs for long periods of time, to walk and to run on two legs for long periods of time. The hands became free, man's horizon expanded and he developed from Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens.

Graphic showing the evolution of human footprints, depicting changes in foot anatomy over time.

An important step in the development of the foot was that the big toe was brought closer to the other toes. Although this meant that it lost its gripping function, it was used for stability when standing and for dynamics when running. The heel also became more stable and larger. This developmental process was only possible because the foot twisted up like a spiral and no longer lay flat on the ground, as in chimpanzees, for example. This is how the curvature of the foot, which makes it unique, developed. We will come back to this in a later article. Today, the human foot is designed for upright walking and is specialized accordingly.
Our feet carry us around the world up to 4 times in a lifetime without needing to be replaced. Shoes, however, we need more often. They should be as well-fitting and comfortable as possible.

Image showing several footprints around a globe with a 4x label, symbolizing carbon footprint or environmental impact

Our feet are not just a stable surface to stand on, they are also a rigid, firm lever with which we move. All the muscle and fascia chains that keep us upright and enable us to perform physical work and carry loads begin here. Of particular importance are the arches of the foot, which absorb and cushion the weight of the body and transfer it to the ground. The foot is elastic and flexible. It can adapt to different surfaces and conditions and safely transfer the individual body load to the ground over its surface area of approx. 100 cm². However, the correct use of the feet and the ability to walk correctly must first be learned. The child's foot must first develop into an efficient adult foot, just like the brain.

Diagram showing a foot stepping forward with directional arrows indicating movement

Illustration of a human figure with green arrows indicating body posture and foot alignment mechanisms, showing proper body support and balance.

A person is therefore not born with a finished foot. The bony framework of the newborn's foot consists almost entirely of cartilage, which ossifies over the years. As the child learns to stand and walk safely, the foot develops over the years of childhood and finds its final, individual form as an adult at the end of puberty. During this process, not only the bones and joints develop, but also the ligaments and, in particular, many muscles that tense and maintain the arch of the foot and actively act and react to stress.

Illustration of a foot with arrows showing ample space around toes and sides

Although all feet basically have the same structure, they are as individual as faces. You can recognize a person not only by their face, but also by their feet. There are many ways to differentiate between them. There are not only different physiological foot shapes (according to toe shape), such as the 'Egyptian' foot with a long first toe or the 'Greek' foot, where the second toe is the longest, or the Roman foot type with straight toes.There is also a distinction according to the footprint, the flat or flat foot, the hollow foot or the so-called 'normal foot'. There are also distinctions according to the shape of the foot: the Germanic, Baltic, Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque types. All the different forms emphasize the individuality of the foot and are not pathological.

Graphic showing two foot shape types, Greek with longer second toe and Roman with straight toes.

Over the course of a lifetime, the foot is subjected to heavy loads. They also age like the rest of the body and their functionality is sometimes limited. This is another important reason why you should pay attention to your feet and wear good clothing.
A new 'foot awareness' has also developed in recent years. Particularly in the area of 'comfortable shoes', the industry now offers attractive shoes that effectively support the functionality of the foot throughout its individual development.

You can find more on the topic by Dr. Norbert L. Becker at:www.fair2feet.com/

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