Fifth toe
Encyclopedia
The fifth toe is the outermost (most distal) and usually the smallest toe
Toe
Toes are the digits of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being digitigrade. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being plantigrade; unguligrade animals are those that walk on hooves at the tips of...

 of the foot
Foot
The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...

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It is associated with many medical conditions, largely due to the use of shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...

s.

It consists of the fifth metatarsal bone
Fifth metatarsal bone
The fifth metatarsal bone is recognized by a rough eminence, the tuberosity, on the lateral side of its base.The base articulates behind, by a triangular surface cut obliquely in a transverse direction, with the cuboid; and medially, with the fourth metatarsal.On the medial part of its dorsal...

 and its associated phalanges
Phalanges of the foot
The Olphalanges of the foot are the bones in the toes. They correspond, in number and general arrangement, with those of the hand; there are two in the big toe, and three in each of the other toes...

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The muscles that serve the fifth toe are:
  • Abductor digiti minimi muscle (foot)
    Abductor digiti minimi muscle (foot)
    The Abductor digiti minimi is a muscle which lies along the lateral border of the foot, and is in relation by its medial margin with the lateral plantar vessels and nerves....

  • Flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle (foot)
    Flexor digiti minimi brevis muscle (foot)
    The Flexor digiti minimi brevis lies under the metatarsal bone of the little toe, and resembles one of the Interossei....



Some parallels can be drawn with these muscles and those of the hypothenar eminence
Hypothenar eminence
Hypothenar refers to a group of three muscles of the palm that control the motion of the little finger.The three muscles are:* Abductor digiti minimi* Flexor digiti minimi brevis* Opponens digiti minimi-Muscles:...

 serving the little finger
Little finger
The little finger, often called the pinky in American English, pinkie in Scottish English , or small finger in medicine, is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger.-Muscles:There are four muscles that...

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