Scientists take huge step in understanding feet evolution with muscle discovery By Colm Gorey, siliconrepublic.com A muscle in our feet long believed to allow us to walk upright has been shown to actually play a major part in how we run. Our ancestors’ ability to walk and run great distances helped spread our species across the globe, and now new findings from a team of researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Queensland has helped us better understand how our feet evolved. Publishing its findings in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research team looked at the concept that arches in our feet – which differentiate us from species such as chimpanzees – help us walk upright due to plantar intrinsic muscles (PIMs). However, this latest study showed that PIMs have a “minimal impact” on it. Rather, the findings show that foot muscles are crucial for helping us to push against the ground when walking or running, suggesting the evolution of strong foot muscles has led to where we are today. To continue reading, please visit: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/feet-evolution-muscle-discovery Scientists take huge step in understanding feet evolution with muscle discovery Siliconrepublic.com ... flat feet, the value of training foot muscles and ideas around potential benefits of running barefoot,” said Dr Dominic Farris, lead author of the study. and... Muscle discovery decodes evolution of human feet Odisha Television Ltd. ... for understanding conditions such as flat feet, the value of training foot muscles and ideas around potential benefits of running barefoot,” Farris said.