There are only 3 types of feet found throughout the world: “Egyptian”, “Greek” and “Roman”.

The "Egyptians" thumb the longest, and all the rest are arranged in descending order. A diagonal line is drawn between the thumb and little finger.

Among the “Greeks” the second finger is noticeably longer than the first.

The “Romans” have the first three fingers of approximately the same length, and the ring and little fingers are shorter.

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"Egyptian type"

The most common foot shape in the world is considered to be Egyptian: according to various sources, 50-70% of the population of our planet have such feet. It is believed that people with this type of foot are characterized by determination, a pragmatic approach to life, and family orientation in the broad sense of the word (life as a “clan”, traditions, values ​​passed on from generation to generation). Owners of the “Egyptian” foot are hardworking, self-confident, have good health, and orthopedic doctors even believe that this is the only healthy principle of foot structure from an anatomical point of view. The prevalence of this type confirms that evolutionarily it was nature that considered it optimal.

"Roman type"

The second most common foot is the “Roman” foot; this type occurs in approximately 30% of the population. “Romans” are ambitious, open to everything new, very active and cannot stand routine. They never sit still, they “generate” ideas, light up at the mere thought of new opportunities and are always optimistic about the future. At the same time, they are very persistent: if a “Roman” has made a decision, he will go to the end, patiently overcoming difficulties, coping with temporary setbacks and encouraging those around him.

"Greek type"

The rarest and, according to artists and sculptors around the world, the most beautiful foot is the “Greek” one. This type was the last to be systematized, since only 20% of the planet's population has retained the genetic code responsible for such a foot structure. Art historians once drew attention to the fact that all Greek sculptures, without exception, depict feet exactly like this: with an elongated second toe. After conducting a study, scientists found that only people with aristocratic features were taken as sitters for sculptures, one of which was the “Greek” foot. The “Greeks” are characterized by a craving for intellectual work, a developed sense of beauty, and a love of art and contemplation. These dreamers, philosophers, people with amazing intuition and imagination are usually successful in creative professions.

« Greek foot" is a term used in sculpture to describe a foot in which the second toe is longer than the big toe. This foot structure is referred to in medical terminology as “Morton’s toe,” named after the American orthopedic surgeon Dudley Joe Morton (1884-1960), who first described this phenomenon.

In physiology, three types of feet are distinguished based on the length of the toes: Greek, Egyptian and Roman.

The "Greek foot" is pictured here.

The “Egyptian” foot type is characterized by a long first toe and a decreasing length of the remaining four toes.

Finally, the “Roman” or “rectangular foot”. All fingers are approximately the same length.

The vast majority of the world's population - from 70% to 80% - has an "Egyptian foot", which is considered normal from an osteological point of view. Conversely, “Greek foot” is considered in medicine as a bone anomaly. It is noteworthy that the signs of the “Greek foot” are inherited.

This feature in the structure of the human foot is often used to denote Greek ethnic origin and is most often found among the Greek population. Internationally, this phenomenon occurs in approximately 10% of people.

"Greek foot" - a beauty standard

From antiquity until the Renaissance, the “Greek foot” was considered the embodiment high standard beauty. So it is not surprising that the statues of Greek antiquity tended to depict Greek figures with this type of foot.
The tradition of ancient Greek artists to depict feet in which the second toe is longer than the big toe was later adopted by the Romans. And this artistic trend was called the “Greek foot”. Its modern example with a characteristic proportion of fingers is presented in the work of French masters - the Statue of Liberty in New York.

FOOT TYPES

Human feet can vary in size, shape, width and other parameters. But, despite all their diversity, each pair of feet can be conditionally classified into one of five main types, each of which is characteristic of people with certain character traits. The characteristics of each type are based primarily on the length of the fingers.

If you count from the largest toe (first) to the smallest (fifth), you can describe the feet as follows.

Greek type

The Greek foot type is characterized by a short first toe and a longer second, followed by the remaining three toes in descending order of length. This type of foot is also characterized by a significant, compared to others, distance between the first and second toes. The width of Greek feet can vary from narrow to medium. Up to 20% of people have this type of foot.

People with Greek feet have a strong need to lead others. They are able to inspire others with their ideas and motivate them to action with their actions. Such people are more theorists than practitioners, although one does not exclude the other.

Rice. 1. Greek type foot

Egyptian type

The Egyptian foot type is characterized by a long first toe and decreasing lengths of the remaining four toes. The width of the feet varies in the same range as the Greek type feet. People with Egyptian-type feet are often dreamers and dreamers; they are driven by great ideas. It is believed that they are prone to a passive life position. If, in addition, the big toes of their feet protrude somewhat, they have great difficulty enduring criticism from others. If the heels of the Egyptian feet are smaller in size than the large balls of the feet, such a person is likely to have to struggle to implement his ideas, while facing great financial difficulties.

Rice. 2. Egyptian type foot

Scots-Irish type

Scotch-Irish type feet have relatively long toes of almost equal length. People with this type of foot are sensitive and caring, easy-going and, although sometimes very conservative, can still struggle to expand the boundaries of their life.

Rice. 3. Scotch-Irish foot

English type

The feet of the modern English type are somewhat wider than those of the Scots-Irish type, and their toes are sharply sloping. People with this type of foot are quite mundane, do not particularly strive to develop their spiritual or creative potential, and have a stable character. In their actions, such people would rather withdraw than do anything wrong.

Rice. 4. Modern English type foot

Peasant type

Peasant-type feet usually have three inner toes of the same length, with all the toes being quite short and sort of square. The width of this type of feet can vary from medium to wide. People with a peasant foot type are reliable and hardworking, stand firmly on their feet and are well prepared for life. They are much closer to today's problems than to the distant and unknown future.

Rice. 5. Peasant foot

This text is an introductory fragment.

Exercise “Closing the feet and palms” We can strengthen the body’s ability to independently bring itself back to normal and harmonize destructive and creative forces by simultaneously closing the palms and feet. Starting position: lie on your back on a firm, level surface

Mud scrub for feet Required: 1/4 kg of silty sea mud, 1 liter of water. Method of preparation. Bring the water to a boil and put a layer of mud in it. Mix it thoroughly to obtain a homogeneous, fairly thick mass. Drain off excess water (if any)

Softening bath for feet Required: 1 glass of powder or 200 g of dry clay, 3 liters of water, 2 tbsp. l. vegetable (olive) oil. Method of preparation. Use dry powder (if you don’t have one ready-made, grind the dry clay in a mortar until a powder forms). Powder

FUNGAL DISEASES OF THE FEET Fungus on the feet usually appears in the toes and, if the disease is not treated, can spread to the nail plates or even to the groin and armpits. A moist environment creates favorable conditions for infection.

HIGH FOOT RELATION High foot elevation is a relatively common phenomenon, especially characteristic of people with long fingers legs The cause of high lifting can be muscle contraction, neuroses, muscle problems or heredity. Wearing high shoes

Swelling of the feet Causes of swollen feet Swelling of the feet can be caused by two reasons. In the first case, this is poor blood circulation, and in the second, problems with the passage of lymph. When swollen feet occur due to poor blood circulation, the skin becomes red, itchy,

ARTHRITIS OF THE FEET Disease of denial of change Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Affecting the joints of the feet, this disease causes severe pain when walking. Arthritis of the feet often affects people who have life path there are serious obstacles, or

Skin of the feet Cracking of the skin, calluses, water blisters, pellagra, obliterating endarteritis, athlete's foot, dark blood spots (high nervous excitability). Source plant material: aloe, Kalanchoe, agave, grapes, hare cabbage, elderberry, mustard,

From the top of the head to the feet Here we will present several sets of exercises for different muscle groups. They will help you keep your body in good shape, lift your spirits and feel energized. In general, spend your “downtime” minutes with maximum health benefits.

5.20. Foot massage Treatment and prevention: weakness in the body, weakness in the legs. Initial position. Sitting position on a chair. The body is relaxed. First stage. Cross your left leg over your right, so that your left foot is on your knees. Hold with your left hand

6.7. Massage of the abdomen and feet Treatment and prevention: belching. Initial pose: Sitting position-II. The body is relaxed, the mind is cleared of unnecessary thoughts, breathing is calm. Connect the index and thumb together, both on the right and left palm. First stage .

Foot massage Foot massage is very beneficial. It relieves fatigue, pain, and helps you relax. In addition, as already mentioned, there are biologically active points on the feet that are connected to all organs and systems. Thus, by massaging the feet, we influence

Structure of the skin of the feet The skin of the feet is similar to the skin of the hands. The skin of the top of the foot, as a rule, is of normal type and is similar in structure to the skin of the face. There are usually no problems with it. As we age, the skin on the surface of the foot may become dry, but

Common foot defects Cracked heels, calluses, bumps, corns - every woman over 40 has encountered these problems at least once in her life. These defects not only spoil appearance feet, but also cause pain when walking. Skin problems

Carrot foot scrub Ingredients: Grated carrots (fresh) - 2 tbsp. l. Semolina - 2 tbsp. l. Olive oil - 2 tbsp. l. Preparation and use Mix all ingredients. Apply the resulting mixture to your feet. Massage for a few minutes. Rinse off any remaining scrub with warm water.

Exercises for legs, feet and ankles Rotate the ankle joint clockwise and counterclockwise with maximum amplitude, overcoming light resistance from the hand. This rotational movement helps stretch particularly tough ligaments.

Many scientific works have been written on the topic of “human feet”. The field of medicine that studies the structure and treatment of the human foot is called podiatry. Chinese medicine has long compared external features foot structure and internal diseases, as well as character traits that coincide with these features. There is even a separate type of fortune telling based on the lines of the feet and the shape of the toes - pedomancy...

There are 5 toes on the foot. The first toe is the big toe, the fifth toe is the little toe, and the remaining toes are usually called by numbers. Counting is done from thumb to little finger. First of all, take a look at your fingers. Which finger is the longest?

Try to determine your foot type. Perhaps you will learn a little more not only about your feet, but also about your character.

Based on the length of the toes, there are 3 types of feet: Greek, Egyptian, Roman. It should be noted that a certain ratio of the length of the first two toes affects certain possible deformities of the foot. Thus, the Greek foot is most prone to transverse flatfoot, and the Egyptian foot is prone to the development of longitudinal flatfoot:

1. Greek foot type - Greek foot. The second toe is longer than the big and third toe. These are followed in descending order by the fourth and little fingers. Owners of the Greek foot type are credited with self-will and ambition, independence and determination. There is a legend that the head of the family (wife or husband) is the one whose “second finger is longer than the first.”

2.Egyptian foot type - Egyptian foot. In descending order are the first, second, third, fourth toes and little toe. The owners of the Egyptian foot are credited with such traits as softness and emotionality, romance and gullibility.

3. Roman type, or rectangular type - Roman foot. All fingers are approximately the same length. The thumb is almost equal to the second, then in descending order, but without strong differences: the third, fourth, little finger. People with the Roman foot type are credited with straightforwardness and simplicity of character. People with Roman feet are characterized by “stubbornness” and perseverance; these are the traits that help them achieve success.

In another source, the morphological type of foot is also divided into 3 types:

The Egyptian foot (Fig. 96), as we see it on the statues of the pharaohs, is distinguished by the presence of the longest big toe; the length of all other fingers consistently decreases. This is the foot type most prone to problems. In shoes, the relatively long big toe moves laterally (hallux valgus) and, due to the load in the anterior phase, leads to osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joint, creating hallux rigidus.

* The Greek foot (Fig. 95) is characteristic of classical Greek statues. The second toe is the longest, followed by the first and third toes, which are almost the same length, and then the fourth and fifth toes. With this type of foot load the best way distributed throughout its anterior section.

* Polynesian foot (Fig. 97), or square foot, depicted in Gauguin's paintings: the toes (at least the first three) are of the same length. This type of foot does not cause any problems.

Now look closely at the arch of your foot. The type of arch of the foot can also tell a lot about its owner.

* Low instep is characteristic of people who are accommodating and sociable, people who are ready to accept help and listen to advice.

* A high rise indicates a good memory of its owner and good “leadership” qualities. At the same time, people with high rises are credited with lack of restraint and unprincipled character.

But, it doesn’t matter what type of foot you have, wide or narrow feet, high or low arches, flat or protruding heels. The main thing is that the foot is healthy!

And there are also such stop options:

1) Egyptian; 2) Roman; 3) Greek; 4) German; 5) Celtic

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Modern man has the worst attitude towards feet, both men and especially women. In nature, human feet were happy and free from any discomfort.

Ancient (atavistic) foot(Fig. 91, view of the bones), which scientists also call "pes anticus", resembles the feet of prehistoric people with a large grasping toe, capable of wide contact with the plane of support thanks to its metatarsals and widely spaced toes. When civilization encased feet in more or less comfortable shoes, they were forced to adapt. Interfering fashion, especially for women's shoes with sharp and narrow heels, is simply catastrophic (Fig. 92, foot bones in high-heeled shoes). Here comes a fact known by the barbaric name “hallux valgus” (valgus big toe):

• the first metatarsal bone, far removed from the second metatarsal bone (metatarsus varus or adductus), is pushed inward (towards the heel) so that the big toe is directed obliquely anteriorly and inwardly A ;
• this is followed by an abnormal protrusion of the head of the first metatarsal bone, at the level of which the shoes, rubbing, lead to the formation of exostosis b, and then a corn, popularly called a “bulb,” which can become infected;
• the second metatarsal bone is clearly longer than the others, so it bears the main load in the final phase of the step, which leads to overload and pain in the area of ​​its base; stress fractures sometimes occur;
• The fifth metatarsal bone is strongly pushed outwards, leading to valgus deformation of the fifth metatarsal bone. She herself is strongly pushed inward With(towards the heel) together with the little finger;
• this imbalance soon becomes permanent as a result of shortening of the capsular ligament of the joints, lateral dislocation of the sesamoid bones d and flexor tendons e, which increases the imbalance;
• the thumb displaces the intermediate fingers (Fig. 93) and is even positioned above the second finger;
• the fifth finger undergoes a reverse deformation - “quintus varus”, which further reduces the space for the middle fingers and increases their hammer-like deformity (Fig. 94) with the formation of corns on the plantar side of the interphalangeal proximal joints;
• the claw-shaped middle toes press down the heads of the metatarsal bones and lower them, as a result of which the anterior arch becomes convex - the anterior convexity of the foot.

As a result, this common foot deformity with hallux valgus, hammertoes, and forefoot bulge poses significant shoe selection challenges and can only be corrected surgically.


Morphological foot typeplays important role in the development of the described deformations. From an artistic point of view, three types of feet can be distinguished:

• Greek foot(Fig. 95) is characteristic of classical Greek statues. The second toe is the longest, followed by the first and third toes, which are almost the same length, and then the fourth and fifth toes. With this type of foot, the loads are best distributed along the forefoot.
• Egyptian foot(Fig. 96), as we see it on the statues of the pharaohs, is distinguished by the presence of the longest thumb; the length of all other fingers consistently decreases. This is the foot type most prone to problems. In shoes, the relatively long big toe moves laterally (hallux valgus) and, due to the load in the anterior phase, leads to osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joint, creating hallux rigidus.
• Polynesian foot(Fig. 97), or the square foot depicted in Gauguin’s paintings: the toes (at least the first three) are of the same length. This type of foot does not cause any problems.

From all that has been said, we can conclude - especially for women - that too narrow shoes and high heels should be avoided. Because in such shoes the toes overlap one another and fold (Fig. 93). This is how all the factors come together for the development of hallux valgus.

If we want to extract a moral from all of the above, then we can paraphrase the famous expression: “Shoes are made for man, not man for shoes.”


"Lower limb. Functional anatomy"
A.I. Kapandji