Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Prehensile feet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prehensile feet are lower limbs that possess prehensility, the ability to grasp like a hand. They are most commonly observed in monkeys, who similarly possess prehensile tails.
Due to the development of bipedalism in humans, the hands became the focus of prehensility and the feet adjusted to more of a stabilizing role. It may be possibe, however, that the hand does not reach it's limits of dexterity due to the constant muscle tension needed in stabilizing and balancing the foot to hold up the legs and the rest of the frame.
In cases of amputees who are born without or lose both their arms, the feet, like the tongue and other parts of the body, are explored in greater function to stand in for the absent hands in performing daily human tasks. In many cases, greater prehensility is developed out of necessity and practise, and a person is able to type on a keyboard at impressive speeds.
Small objects may also by grasped between the toes, and manipulated as with a hand with the ankle functioning as a wrist. As toes are much shorter than fingers, and since the ball of the foot is so large and obtrusive, grasping as in a normal hand is not able to hold very large or heavy objects,
 |
This biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |