Editing Toe (section)

==Structure==
[[File:Gray269.png|thumb|Bones of the right [[foot]]. [[Plantar]] surface.]]
[[File:Foot on white background (cropped).jpg|thumb|Human toes]]
[[File:Metti (cropped).JPG|thumb|A woman's toes decorated with [[nail polish]] and [[henna]], and wearing a ''metti'' ([[toe ring]]) on the second toe, for her wedding]]

There are normally five toes present on each human foot. Each toe consists of three [[phalanx bone]]s, the [[Anatomical terms of location#Proximal and distal|proximal, middle, and distal]], with the exception of the big toe ({{langx|la|hallux}}). For a minority of people, the little toe also is missing a middle bone. The hallux only contains two phalanx bones, the proximal and distal. The joints between each phalanx are the [[Interphalangeal joints of foot|interphalangeal joints]]. The proximal phalanx bone of each toe articulates with the [[metatarsal]] bone of the foot at the [[Metatarsophalangeal joints|metatarsophalangeal joint]]. Each toe is surrounded by skin, and present on all five toes is a [[toenail]].

The toes are, from [[Medial (anatomy)|medial to lateral]]: 

* the first toe, also known as the hallux ("big toe", "great toe", "thumb toe"), the innermost toe;
* the second toe, ("index toe", "pointer toe");
* the third toe, ("middle toe");
* the fourth toe, ("fore toe", "ring toe");
* the fifth toe, ("baby toe", "little toe", "pinky toe", "small toe"), the outermost toe.

===Muscles===
{{See also|Foot#Muscles}}
Toe movement is generally [[Anatomical terms of movement#Flexion and extension|flexion and extension]] (movement toward the sole or the back of the foot, resp.) via muscular [[tendon]]s that attach to the toes on the [[Anatomical terms of location#Anterior and superior|anterior and superior]] surfaces of the phalanx bones.<ref name="GRAYS2005">{{cite book|title=Gray's anatomy for students|last=Drake|first=Richard L.|author2=Vogl, Wayne|author3=Tibbitts, Adam W.M. Mitchell|author4=illustrations by Richard|author5=Richardson, Paul|publisher=Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone|year=2005|isbn=978-0-8089-2306-0|location=Philadelphia|pages=557}}</ref>{{rp|573}}

With the exception of the hallux, toe movement is generally governed by action of the [[flexor digitorum brevis]] and [[extensor digitorum brevis]] muscles. These attach to the sides of the bones,<ref name=GRAYS2005 />{{rp|572–75}} making it impossible to move individual toes independently. [[Dorsal interossei of the foot|Muscles between the toes]] on their top and bottom also help to abduct and adduct the toes.<ref name=GRAYS2005 />{{rp|579}} The hallux and little toe have unique muscles:
* The hallux is primarily flexed by the [[flexor hallucis longus muscle]], located in the deep [[posterior (anatomy)|posterior]] of the lower leg, via the [[flexor hallucis longus]] [[tendon]]. Additional flexion control is provided by the [[flexor hallucis brevis]]. It is extended by the [[abductor hallucis muscle]] and the [[adductor hallucis muscle]]. 
* The little toe has a separate set of control muscles and tendon attachments, the [[flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle (foot)|flexor]] and [[abductor digiti minimi muscle (foot)|abductor]] digiti minimi. Numerous other [[:Category:Foot muscles|foot muscles]] contribute to fine motor control of the foot. The connective tendons between the minor toes account for the inability to actuate individual toes.

===Blood supply===
The toes receive blood from the digital branches of the [[plantar metatarsal artery|plantar metatarsal arteries]] and drain blood into the [[dorsal venous arch]] of the foot.<ref name=GRAYS2005 />{{rp|580–81}}

===Nerve supply===
Sensation to the skin of the toes is provided by five nerves. The [[superficial fibular nerve]] supplies sensation to the top of the toes, except between the hallux and second toe, which is supplied by the [[deep fibular nerve]], and the outer surface of the fifth toe, supplied by the [[sural nerve]]. Sensation to the bottom of the toes is supplied by the [[medial plantar nerve]], which supplies sensation to the great toe and inner three-and-a-half toes, and the [[lateral plantar nerve]], which supplies sensation to the little toe and half of the sensation of the fourth toe.

In [[human]]s, the hallux is usually longer than the second toe, but in some individuals, it may not be the longest toe. There is an [[Mendelian inheritance|inherited]] trait in humans, where the [[Dominance (genetics)|dominant]] [[gene]] causes a longer second toe ("[[Morton's toe]]" or "Greek foot") while the [[Zygosity|homozygous]] recessive [[genotype]] presents with the more common trait: a longer hallux.<ref>{{OMIM|189200|Toes&nbsp;– relative lengths of first and second}}</ref> People with the rare genetic disease [[fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva]] characteristically have a short hallux which appears to turn inward, or medially, in relation to the foot.

===Variation===
Humans usually have five toes on each foot. When more than five toes are present, this is known as [[polydactyly]]. Other variants may include [[syndactyly]] or [[arachnodactyly]]. Forefoot shape, including toe shape, exhibits significant variation among people; these differences can be measured and have been statistically correlated with [[ethnicity]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hawes|first=MR|author2=Sovak, D |author3=Miyashita, M |author4=Kang, SJ |author5=Yoshihuku, Y |author6= Tanaka, S |title=Ethnic differences in forefoot shape and the determination of shoe comfort.|journal=Ergonomics|date=Jan 1994|volume=37|issue=1|pages=187–96|pmid=8112275|doi=10.1080/00140139408963637}}</ref>  Such deviations may affect comfort and fit for various shoe types. Research conducted for the U.S. Army indicated that larger feet may still have smaller arches, toe length, and toe-breadth.<ref name='freedman_army'>Freedman, A., Huntington, E.C., Davis, G.C., Magee, R.B., Milstead, V.M. and Kirkpatrick, C.M.. 1946. Foot Dimensions of Soldiers (Third Partial Report), [[Armored Medical Research Laboratory]], [[Fort Knox]], Kentucky.</ref>