Can body habits be genetic or hereditary?

Question

Since I was a little child I have had a habit of wiggling my toes in a special pattern. Whenever I sit still, I wiggle them first up, then curl them down and wiggle them up again, and I repeat this movement every 10 seconds or so. Totally unconscious. No I found out that my sister and my father do EXACTLY THE SAME. Same movement, same pattern. And, that's not all: this weekend we visited my cousin (daughter of my fathers big brother). She was barefoot, and I realized, that she wiggles her toes the same way. I think this is totally crazy. So: what do you think: can those body habits or tics can be genetic or hereditary?

Answer 1

both!! I have seen it in my family and others too!!!

Answer 2

There have been at least two studies I know of Identical twins who were separated at birth. And in both studies researchers found that that certain physical habits, like those you describe were present in both twins -- even though the twins grew up in different households and had no interections with each other.

So, it's quite likely that such habits can have a genetic basis.

Answer 3

Face it. Toes have a very limited range of motion. Most people can't do anything else with their toes but to lift them up, or perhaps curl them. I don't think the movements you described are unusual or mean anything.

Answer 4

ABSOLUTELY!