Why cant us humans move our toes Independently from one and another?

Answer 1

Rev Cortez is correct. The fact that we can wiggle our toes at all is evidence of evolution ... it serves no other purpose in humans ... but it is evidence of an ancestor that used toes for grasping.

You want more evidence? Notice that you CAN wiggle your big toe separately from the other four. This is evidence that you have more nerves and muscles dedicated to your big toe than the other toes. This is explained when you look at how other primates grasp with their feet ... the big toe is an opposable "thumb" that needs to be bigger and stronger than the rest of the digits for purposes of grasping.

More evidence? Look at the anatomy and structure of the big toe. Notice that your big toe has one fewer joint (one less knuckle) than the other digits, just like your thumb has one fewer joint (one less knuckle). (Here's a picture of the bones of the foot:)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gray268.png

More evidence? There is a muscle in the calf of humans called the 'plantaris' muscle. It is completely useless in humans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gray438.png
It is so thin and useless that anatomy students commonly mistake it for a nerve, and surgeons regularly remove it when they need muscle tissue for reconstructive surgery. In fact, 9% of humans have no plantaris muscle at all. But in other primates, this is the exact muscle that allows grasping with the feet.

So to answer your question, we can move *some* of our toes independently (e.g. our big toe), but for the most part the ability to move them independently is not useful in humans, so the nerves and muscles dedicated to independent movement have been getting weaker over the last 6 million years.

It's a beautiful illustration of evolution in action.

Answer 2

Some can, some can't... it's all about muscles, tendons, and even genetics... My kids and I can all move and wiggle our toes... My husband can't even flex or bend his toes! It is kind of funny sometimes cause we tease him about it... Just be glad you have toes... they provide a balance support for your feet, your legs and your body! If you count them and have ten... you are fortunate! I only have 5... on one foot...none on the other cause they were amputated when I was 18 months old... I was severely burned by scalding water in the late 50's and had to learn to walk with half my balance! I am grateful that I was able to have my foot saved from amputation and that I can do most things normally!
I just can't run well, or drive a standard transmission vehicle with the clutch! Oh well... I do count my blessings when I see someone without a leg though! Believe me, we should feel so lucky when we see someone with less than we have and then we should try to do something to help someone else less fortunate! Don't worry about what your toes cannot do, but think about what your feet and hands can do to show service to others! Sorry... I know this is not what you wanted to hear from your question, but it made me think about my own situation!

Answer 3

Our feet evolved for walking when our ancestors moved our of the trees and onto the land. We can still wiggle our toes some which is a remnant of an ancient ability to swing in the trees.

Hadn't thought of it before, but this is an excellent example of evolution in action for all who deny the fact of evolution.

Answer 4

What makes something called something. somebody got here up with a attractiveness for human beings and now we at the same time call ourselves human beings (so a great way as English is worried). How are we diverse from different issues? we seem diverse, we've diverse genes, we've diverse purposes, and a few might say we gained the breath of existence from God. What makes us human in the jap way of thinking? A human that conforms to the societal norms. Even the bible says you're a beast in case you provide your self as much as sin.

Answer 5

Because as we developed away from our simian cousins, the ability to grasp objects with our feet became less and less of a requirement for survival. This is a description of prehensile ability although as others have answered it is an ability which you can train your tendons and muscles to perform.

This information might just save your life the next time you find the need to swing from an overhead powerline or tree branch!

Ciao!

Answer 6

You have too many tendons linking them. But if you practice enough, you may be able to teach your body to do it. Try getting your little toe to move outwards away from your other toes. It's fun when you're bored!

Answer 7

it's caused evolution, as we have evolved we ahve lost the need to use our fett to swing from branches and hold things, so those functions ahve now disappeared, we can still bend them, so can get some slight grip. You can work on them and develop the muscles to get a lot of ability, such as the artists who use their feet to hold paint brushes, but we don't normally do that.

Answer 8

My Mum can ! and it looks strange, but i'm sure there are many wild and wonderful things we could all do if we practiced enough

Answer 9

I've never had that problem

Answer 10

cause
we're humans