05/18/2013    

PODIATRISTS IN THE NEWS

We Walk in a Tripod Fashion: CA Podiatrist

We owe our balance to the 26 bones that make up the hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot. The toes connect to the midfoot by five long bones called metatarsals, one for each toe. Though all the bones in the foot come together to form the structure of the foot, the main bones responsible for our balance are the metatarsals, explains Dr. Wenjay Sung, attending physician at White Memorial Medical Group.

Dr. Wenjay Sung

“We walk in a tripod fashion, where the big toe knuckle, the fifth toe knuckle and the heel have a tripod walking ability,” Sung says. “If you remove one part of that tripod, you lose balance.” So even though the pinky toe itself has no functional value, removing the metatarsal would make running, walking, and skipping nearly impossible.

Source: POPSCI [May 2013]