Monkey (prehensile) toes :-)

[gryllus]

I wonder ... how many of us here have the ability, or even the habit, to grasp small objects, or pick things up, with (bare) toes?
I do, and consider it a natural thing, but I did notice that it does surprise some people.
(I am not talking about VFFs now ... that, I believe, would be a challenge even for me!)
Do you also have "monkey toes"?

[runnerbean]

i can pick up marbles but a pencil is beyond me although it is something i keep trying , it's my competitive nature i think.

[johnmjoy]

I'm annoyed by the fact that I can't seem to get my middle three toes to move independently - they want to work as a group.

I'd also like an opposable big toe.  I suppose if I ever became rich and nutty (like a certain deceased pop star), I'd hire a team of surgeons to make it happen.  Of course, my VFFs wouldn't fit any longer, but if I were rich (and nutty) enough to afford the surgery, I'd probably be able to get Vibram to custom make some for me.   

[gryllus]

Runnerbean, you made me try it ... For the record:  I can pick up a pencil from the floor with either foot, holding it.between the toes and the ball of my foot.

[runnerbean]

damn you gryllus   i'm going to spend all weekend practising now  LOL

[johnmjoy]

OK, I did it.  Picked it up and dropped it on my desk.

[Adam C]

I typed this with my toes...and then corrected the grammar with my fingers lol

[vwater69]

Guilty as charged! I can even write with my feet. Considering I've broken my toes a total of 26....YES TWENTY-SIX times, I'm surprised how dexterous my feet and toes are.
 
Victoria

[Rana]

I can write with my feet... sort of.  It requires a large pen to pull it off.  I can also pick up and toss things with my feet.

Sometimes I like to grab the cat's tail with my toes... which always causes her to give me A Look. 

[bigtruckguy3500]

There was a time when my feet would begin to cramp up if I tried doing anything with my toes.  Thanks barefooting and my new found foot strength that I can pick up pencils (just tried it), marbles, golfballs, etcs. with my feet.

[Sablewings]

I just picked up a pen, a small bike pump and one of my Vivo shoes off the floor. Not all at once, of course!

I use the gap in between my big toe and 'index' toe and curl the toes round the objects. Wonder if that's cheating...

[Alex.JMD]

Yeah, I most commonly use the space between my big toe and second toe to pick things up. With the Vibrams on, I curl them all in and the way the ball of the sole buckles into the toes, I can pick up a lot of things, more than with my bare feet actually. I can pick up balls of paper, clothes, pencils, and even small pieces of wood (all stuff I drop at school). I can even put papers in between my toes and hand foot them off to people while still sitting in my desk. It's great!

[BigR]

I constantly pick things up with my toes VFF clad or not i pick up keys, pens, leashes, phones, iPods, and even TV remotes.

[inbetweenmytoes]

4 months ago, I had no foot dexterity at all. I had a big toe and a flipper. VFF wearing and barefoot training have given me spreadable toes. After reading this thread, I am going to try using those toes to pick things up, perhaps learn a few "monkey-like" tricks. I'll pass on the following trick, however:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG4vtRMCuRo" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG4vtRMCuRo</a>

[toastergirl]

I have always been told that i have monkey feet -- even by my parents growing up.  I have very long toes... 

was at a barefoot running clinic by Michael Sandler (author of Barefoot Running), in NYC last night and he had us picking up golf balls with our toes! I was able to do that easily. 

My challenge to all of us competitive people -- try picking up a bar of soap in the shower with your feet! LOL! I have been trying that for a long time...close but not quite that dexterous...yet!!