[pct-l] Ankles and Foot Placement

[Edward Anderson]

Fossil hominid footprints dating back 3.6 million years show that our very early 
ancestors were bipedal and had already evolved feet very similar to ours. They 
had well-developed arches which would favor not just walking, but also jogging 
and running. ( Read "Born to Run"). Their tracks  seem to show that Afarensis 
had a slightly toe-out placement as opposed to a straight-ahead or toe-in 
placement. A toe-out placement would result in greater stability of the foot. 
This (bare) foot would be less likely to roll over, resulting in a sprained or 
broken ankle. Natural Selection would give individuals with a more stable foot 
placement a selective advantage. They would be more likely to survive to 
reproduce and pass on their genes.

In our civilized world sprained or broken ankles have little or no influence 
relating to an individuals chances of survival and ability to reproduce. Most of 
us naturally place our feet a little toe-out.  These people are less likely to 
fall due to ankle roll over. Hikers who use hiking poles are also less likely to 
fall.

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