# Noticing Toes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 13, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819 "2002-05-13T15:14:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Molly\_Coddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bcef8e/32.png) [@Molly\_Coddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molly_Coddle)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/1 "2002-05-13T15:14:59Z")

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Ok, I have a roomie who just came back from some sort of shopping spree for a formal dress and some open-toed heels. She has been complaining about her toe shape/size ( which makes me wonder why she bought open-toed shoes). Other roomies broke out their open-toed shoes and we compaired toes.

My toes are kind of even in width and curl slightly with a gentle down slope starting with my big toe. Some of my roomies on the other hand, have skinny-knoby toes where the second toe sticks out above (is taller than) their big toe! I find this freakish, but a lot of people have that too. Am I weird or is there a reason to this toe thing? 😕

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**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/2 "2002-05-13T15:36:32Z")

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For monkeys, I’d think that having a longer index toe than big toe would be good for the same reason that we have a longer index finger than thumb. However, for walking upright and balance, I think it’d be better to have a big strong big toe.

So then people like you and me are obviously more evolved than the long index toe freaks. 😉

I’m more interested in toenail shapes. My pinky toenails are practically nonexistant, and my big fat toe toenails tend to get ingrown if I don’t clip them regularly. That seems counter-evolutionary. The other toenails are normal sized compared to my fingernails.

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**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/3 "2002-05-13T15:41:33Z")

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For monkeys, I’d think that having a longer index toe than big toe would be good for the same reason that we have a longer index finger than thumb. However, for walking upright and balance, I think it’d be better to have a big strong big toe.

So then people like you and me are obviously more evolved than the long index toe freaks. 😉

I’m more interested in toenail shapes. My pinky toenails are practically nonexistant, and my big fat toe toenails tend to get ingrown if I don’t clip them regularly. That seems counter-evolutionary. The other toenails are normal sized compared to my fingernails.

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**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/4 "2002-05-13T15:55:15Z")

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Hey! My first double post! I feel so special.

One per two hundred isn’t bad…

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**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/5 "2002-05-13T16:09:38Z")

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That long second toe is a genetic marker for intelligence and charm. If you have it, you will live a happy, fulfilling life, and be remembered with love. If you don’t, you are doomed. And no, cosmetic toe lengthening surgery cannot change your destiny, sorry.

😃

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**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/6 "2002-05-13T18:37:56Z")

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I don’t think there’s a “reason” other than genetics. My mother and I have toes like **Molly Coddle** ’s, with the big toe being longest, while my sister and my father have the long second toe. My husband has the long second toe as well.

I don’t know if the long second toe is more common, but it seems to be to me. I remember the first time I noticed the difference. I was looking at other people’s feet during swimming lessons, and noticed to my dismay that I was the only one there who still had “baby-looking” toes. Well, they still look like that, but it doesn’t bother me anymore.

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**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noticing-toes/108819/7 "2002-05-13T18:38:14Z")

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😃

So how come, looking at my feet, my right foot has a second toe _longer_ than the big toe, but my left foot has a second toe _shorter_ than the big toe? What kind of freak thing is that? The right second toe is a whole _quarter inch_ longer than its left-sided counterpart.