23/01/2025
I have been away this week, celebrating my birthday in Rome. 🥳 I haven't forgotten about feet though! The pictures below have been taken around Rome and The Vatican City whilst we have been exploring. 🗺️ It brings me back to a post I made a couple of years ago now. If you look at all the feet below, the 2nd toe is always longer 👣 original post ⬇️ ( if anyone has been trying to 📞 I will get back to you Saturday ☺️.
🌟 Is your 2nd toe longer than your 1st toe? If the answer is yes, then you are part of 25% of the population that have a “Morton’s toe”! The Statue of Liberty, Venus de Milo and Leonardo de Vinci’s “Vitruvian man”, also share this trait!
It is said to be a symbol of beauty, intelligence, dominance and strength! It is thought that this thinking, all started with the Greeks. They believe in the “Golden Ratio” which was created by Euclid, a Greek who invented geometry sometime around 300BC. The “Golden Ratio” is found throughout the whole of nature and is thought to represent perfect harmony in aesthetics.
The Morton's toe represented this mathematical difference for them. It was an easy way to show an interesting quirk of human anatomy while acknowledging this geometric relationship, which could be recognized as a nod to mathematicians and appreciated by art enthusiasts for its intentional balance. The Greeks found it to be beautiful, and its place in their art was very intentional.
After the Greeks, the Morton's toe became a bit of a trend. The Golden Ratio became more prevalent and the study and understanding of its purpose grew. It soon started appearing in Roman, French, Italian, and Celtic art as well. This is why the beloved Statue of Liberty has Morton's toe. 🗽
The reason it is knows as “Morton's toe” is because it was named after a Dr. Dudley Morton. Dr Morton studied this fascinating trait during a career spent arguing that most foot issues come from a persons toes rather than weak or fallen arches. Dr. Morton believed that if you had any problems with the metatarsals, then you could blame that for your corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, or almost anything else wrong with your feet!
There are two other ancient cultures that have beliefs surrounding the Morton’s toe.
The Indians believe that those who have a 2nd digit longer than their first, value peace and happiness more than success or money. They believe that these people have superior leadership skills, whilst people with “normal” toes, will just fall into the more “loyal employee’ category!
Similarly the Chinese believe that those with a longer 2nd metatarsal are born to lead and seen as a role model for many!
So if you have a “Morton’s Toe” you are unique , you are beautiful and you are a true leader! You may not feel like it when you are in pain due to that corn, or you can’t get any shoes to fit you, or you are suffering with back ache again, but try to embrace it, you are truly special 💕
