The Significant Design Flaws of the Human Foot

Cheddar explains, through an ontogenic video essay, why the human foot features some significant design flaws. Early humans had feet similar to those of other primates, with opposable thumbs that allowed for easy tree climbing.

As humans evolved to bipedalism, the distance between the thumb and the other toes became shorter, the legs became and the neck became longer and straighter. These changes meant that the feet received more stress than in previous iterations and the trappings of modern society have only served to exacerbate these flaws.

From a design standpoint, the human foot is kind of a disaster. Although humans evolved to walk upright on two feet, our feet are prone to all kinds of injuries. So, why did natural selection give us this particular foot?