EVOLUTIONARY ASPECTS OF FOOT DISORDERS

The modern human foot can be viewed as the basic prehensile grasping f oot of humans' arboreal ancestors, modified by the need for a propulsi ve lever to serve bipedal walking. The structure of the human foot ser ves its function remarkably well. However, in spite of its evolutionar y success, the foot remains susceptible to clinical disorders that can be related to its development from nonhuman ancestors. An understandi ng of the evolution of the foot offers a different perspective on some common human foot disorders, and can provide a framework for planning the treatment of those disorders.