The Greek foot: All you need to know
About the Greek foot
If we're talking about the meaning of the Greek foot, or the origin of the Greek foot as it were, we're obviously talking about the one where the second toe is undoubtedly longer than the big toe. This type of foot is generally tapered, with the last two toes shorter than the first three, and climbing. For many people, this is the most aesthetically pleasing foot type, so much so that it's nicknamed the "model foot".
From a purely orthopedic point of view, people with Greek feet are the luckiest of all, since they have the opportunity to wear any type of shoe without fear of encountering any particular problems. To this end, however, according to podomancy, tapered toes in some people obviously indicate ambition and a good dose of arrogance.
Individuals with tapered toes are considered to be very fortunate and have excellent leadership skills, as well as being very dynamic and resourceful.
From a purely historical point of view, this type of foot stems from the ancient Greeks' tendency to create a good number of sculptures whose feet were made up of a second toe longer than the first, i.e. the big toe, with the remaining toes gradually shortening until they reached the little finger.
However, one of the advantages of the Greek foot is that it adapts easily to any type of shoe. Whether it's high heels or sandals, the important thing is that it makes you feel comfortable.
What's more, in ancient Greece, the women's Greek feet had a special significance symbol of femininity and beauty. Because the 2nd toe is longer and thinner than the others, it creates the illusion of grace and delicacy. The Greek foot revealed personality, and was considered the foot of beauty and elegance, and it was believed that women with the Greek foot were more attractive to men.
How to recognize a Greek foot?
Recognizing whether you have a female or male Greek foot is fairly easy. If you look at the feet of ancient Greek statues, you'll realize that they obviously have a so-called Greek foot, i.e. the second toe is longer than the big toe. This is not the case with the Egyptian foot.
Take a good look at your feet! Is your second toe also longer than your big toe? If so, you too have a Greek foot, also known as the "Venus foot". However, it's worth noting that with this type of foot, only the metatarsus - the foot bone before the phalanges - is generally more developed than the big toe and all the other toes on the foot.
Disadvantages of Greek feet (Pain)
Most people don't really develop complications; the Greek foot at the moment remains just a distinctive and curious feature. However, as long as it doesn't no painful symptomsHowever, as long as there are no painful symptoms, Greek foot doesn't require any treatment either, although it's worth noting that people with this type of foot may experience difficulties over the years.
Indeed, the most recurrent problem with Greek feet is the pain and it can usually be found in the second toe. Even if it's not really a pathology, you simply need to use more comfortable orthopedic shoes to avoid the pain.
Since the shape of the foot determines how we distribute our body weight, it's important to bear in mind that an irregular shape can cause musculoskeletal discomfort.
In this particular case, the second toe, being longerIt is then more likely to support the weight of an individual to maintain equilibrium.
Since the Greek foot can affect the way you walk, this can have repercussions on your joints and ligaments, and the people most at risk are runners and those who spend many hours on their feet at work. Special orthopedic shoes usually solve the problem.
However, it is important to point out that people with Greek feet who initially underestimate the initial symptoms of pain due to this foot type may suffer from :
- Knee pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Back pain/numbing
- Ankle pain
- Tight, painful calves
- Arthritis
How to relieve / prevent Greek foot pain?
As mentioned above, if you're a person with Greek feet, here are a few solutions that can help you prevent foot pain:
✅ Always wear comfortable shoes with a wide, spacious forefoot to give your toes more room to breathe.
✅ Wear orthopedic shoes with arch support.
✅ Regularly call in a podiatrist to remove the horn created by hyper-pressure.
However, one possible solution to Greek foot pain is surgery. Given that the second toe is generally very long and can cause pain, it is sometimes important to consider Greek foot surgery. This involves shortening the second toe, although this method is not highly recommended, as it can lead to stiffness of the toe.
The best orthopedic shoes for Greek feet
Most orthopedic shoes on the market are made with the Greek foot in mind. So, from an orthopedic point of view, lucky people with this foot type can wear almost any orthopedic shoe model without any particular restrictions.
✅ However, orthopedic shoes with narrow toes and heels over 5 cm should be avoided.. If your toes don't have enough room to stow away, there's an unavoidable risk of them crossing over.
That's why, at Smarfeet, you'll find all models of orthopedic shoes for Greek feetwhether you're a man, a woman or a child.
