# Toes: Still prehensile? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824 "2001-09-05T07:16:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/1 "2001-09-05T07:16:09Z")
How often do you use your toes? I mean actually use them to nudge some object or pick up and grab something-- such as a pencil off the floor. I have found myself doing this sometimes and I wonder: “Maybe I should be doing MORE with my toes-- like painting or something-- hmmmm… and I thought they were just filling up my socks!” ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/2 "2001-09-05T07:40:08Z")
See the girl I’m with right now likes it when I take my toe and… OH oh you mean for other kinda stuff? Umm I’m constantly using my toes to knock crap outta my way that is on the floor of my apartment. Although if I was a better housekeeper I probably wouldn’t have that problem. My problem is I’m lazy and I don’t like to bother cleaning stuff up. So I guess if I was actually not lazy and I cleaned stuff up after myself I wouldn’t have that problem and I couldn’t consider my toes as usefull. But I guess it’s better that I am lazy because then I do use my toes and then they get exercise. You wouldn’t want my toes to be unhealthy would you? Would you? Didn’t think so. So until then be quiet about my toes and how I use them it’s not my fault… [sub]Sorry[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![steeljaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@steeljaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steeljaw)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/3 "2001-09-05T07:50:26Z")
I flush the toilet, open doors, and pour cereal with my toes. Oh, and they’re involved in kicking other people too, when i’m engaged in the engaging activity of kicking other people so that I can engage my toes more. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/4 "2001-09-05T07:56:41Z")
I pick things up with my toes all the time. I can write with my toes but I haven’t done it since high school, that I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/5 "2001-09-05T11:39:35Z")
I’m always picking stuff up off the the floor with my toes. I developed the ability because one of the signs of aging is the deep dismay experienced when you drop something and it falls _all the way to the floor!_ ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/6 "2001-09-05T12:27:42Z")
I pick stuff up with my toes all the time. I’ve never tried writing with them, though. Hold on a sec… ::heads off in search of a pencil and paper:: Hmmm… I can’t write with my toes. I’m not even gonna try to pour my cereal with them. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/7 "2001-09-05T13:08:34Z")
There is a method of opening the case of a Compact Macintosh (Mac Plus, SE, etc) referred to as the “toe method”. Because the case sections can become stuck, the back may not slide off easily. The “toe method” is as follows: Remove case screws Place Compact Mac on floor, face down. Hook toes in crack between front and back case sections. Pull on case back, using toes to keep front section from moving. It’s a useful procedure, but it sounds so kinky… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/8 "2001-09-05T13:11:25Z")
One prehensile-toed **Bunny** checking in. Use 'em all the time to move, nudge, pick up, hold, etc. I was going to say “Monkey Girl” checking in, but then the whole topic would get hijacked off to Monkey Butlers and then where would we be? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/9 "2001-09-05T13:19:26Z")
My toes are completely useless. I’m sure they help me keep my balance when standing and walking and whatnot, but they move as a group - I can’t get any toe to do anything on its own. Mindless drones, they are, always following their peers, no individuality at all. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/10 "2001-09-05T13:30:28Z")
Yeah, I pick up things with 'em; use 'em to throw dog toys for the dog to chase; turn on light switches (the wall flip-switch kind, not the rotary thingies on standing floor lamps)…it’s always so much harder when you’re wearing shoes, though! ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/11 "2001-09-05T13:34:25Z")
Gross story from far north Queensland where the weather’s humid and tinea rules the roost… Local radio announcer hied herself to the doctor because she’d started to notice something funky going on with her fingers. Turned out the night announcer had a nasty habit of kicking back in the studio chair and running the panel with his prehensile, tinea-infested feet… ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/12 "2001-09-05T14:51:10Z")
I pick stuff up with my toes all the time - been doing it since I was a kid. Elevator buttons, light switches, car windows, doorknobs - all toe-operable. Writing - I never thought to try writing. Hmmm… I used to do toe-tricks (the best was extracting & lighting a matchbook match), but I was younger and siller then. 😉 I can still pinch the tarnation out of you, though. They’re not just agile, they’re _strong_. The funny part is that I have very short, stubby round toes - they just don’t look like they should be very useful. I used to know a guy who could throw darts with his toes. He probably wouldn’t have won a match, but he would’ve had a respectable score. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/13 "2001-09-05T15:05:02Z")
A friend of mine was watching the first run of Star Trek with her mom. They came to the first episode where the Vulcan Salute was used. My friend tried doing it with both hands, then said, “Mom, can you do that?” Her mom did, then thought about it for a second, and (being barefoot) did the Vulcan salute with both feet. Now _that’s_ scary. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/14 "2001-09-05T15:10:02Z")
Odd, the timing of this: I just picked up a quarter with my toes this morning as I was ironing (my shirt, not my toes.) I often sang the stick my cats chase around and lob it across the room and…uh, I think that’s about it: picking things up. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/15 "2001-09-06T11:37:59Z")
Great for picking up underwear from the floor. I tried to learn how to throw a frisbee with my right foot. I had to be at the top of a hill for it to work, and it never worked perfectly. I can untie other people’s shoes with my toes (unless they use a double knot). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/16 "2001-09-06T11:53:42Z")
Toes apparently have quite a bit of flexibility – IF you develop it. Most of us don’t, and our shoes don’t help. There have been and still are numerous cases of folks born without hands who use their feet instead (see the arguably not PC **Big Book of Freaks** for some examples). I’ve also read an anthropologist writing about an auto mechanic in India (who had both hands, by the way) who regularly used his toes for taking off nuts, etc. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toes-still-prehensile/79824/17 "2001-09-06T13:09:22Z")
Prehensile toes here, too. I use 'em all the time for picking stuff up, holding stuff, and pinching my hubby when I get a chance.