Webbed toes - wikipedia Webbed toes This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2008 ) Webbed toes Human foot with partial simple syndactyly. Classification and external resources Specialty medical genetics ICD - 10 Q70. 3 ICD - 9 - CM 755.13 MedlinePlus 003289 ( edit on Wikidata ) The feet of a gull showing webbed toes. Webbed toes is the common name for syndactyly affecting the feet. It is characterised by the fusion of two or more digits of the feet. This is normal in many birds, such as ducks ; amphibians, such as frogs ; and mammals, such as kangaroos. In humans it is considered unusual, occurring in approximately one in 2,000 to 2,500 live births. There are various levels of webbing, from partial to complete. For example, the rare Hose 's civet, a viverrid endemic to northern Borneo, has partially webbed feet. Most commonly the second and third toes are webbed or joined by skin and flexible tissue. This can reach either part way up or nearly all the way up the toe. Contents 1 Diagnosis 2 Cause 3 Consequences 4 Surgery 5 Famous webbed feet 6 See also 7 Further reading 8 References Diagnosis This condition is normally discovered at birth. If other symptoms are present, a specific syndrome may be indicated. Diagnosis of a specific syndrome is based on family history, medical history, and a physical exam. Webbed toes are also known as `` twin toes, '' `` duck toes, '' `` turkey toes '' and `` tiger toes. '' Cause The exact cause of the condition is unknown. In some cases, close family members may share this condition. In other cases, no other related persons have this condition. The scientific name for the condition is syndactyly, although this term covers both webbed fingers and webbed toes. Syndactyly occurs when apoptosis or programmed cell death during gestation is absent or incomplete. Webbed toes occur most commonly in the following circumstances : Syndactyly or Familial Syndactyly Down syndrome It is also associated with a number of rare conditions, notably : Aarskog -- Scott syndrome Acrocallosal syndrome Apert 's syndrome Bardet - Biedl syndrome Carpenter syndrome Cornelia de Lange syndrome Edwards syndrome Jackson -- Weiss syndrome Fetal hydantoin syndrome Miller syndrome Pfeiffer syndrome Smith - Lemli - Opitz syndrome Timothy syndrome Ectodermal Dysplasia Klippel - Feil Syndrome Consequences This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( June 2010 ) Webbed toes in humans are a purely cosmetic condition. This condition does not impair the ability to perform any activity, including walking, running, or swimming. People with webbed toes may have a slight disadvantage for activities that benefit from prehensile toes. Although not scientifically proven, some believe that this condition can possibly allow for a slight advantage, specifically, in athletics. Considering your big toe is a main source for balance, having your second and third toe webbed could virtually be seen as having two big toes. Thus, allowing for better balance in athletics such as running or dance. Psychological stress may arise from the fear of negative reactions to this condition from people who do not have webbed toes. However a disadvantage would be a difficulty in wearing flip - flops or other such footwear in warm countries. People with webbed toes may be unable to wear Toe socks or Vibram FiveFingers shoes. Surgery Partial simple syndactyly before surgery Partial simple syndactyly, 4 months post-op Webbed toes can be separated through surgery. Surgical separation of webbed toes is an example of body modification. As with any form of surgery, there are risks of complications. The end results depend on the extent of the webbing and underlying bone structure. There is usually some degree of scarring, and skin grafts may be required. In rare instances, nerve damage may lead to loss of feeling in the toes and a tingling sensation. There are also reports of partial web grow - back. The skin grafts needed to fill in the space between the toes can lead to additional scars in the places where the skin is removed. Famous webbed feet Dan Aykroyd -- Canada, actor Tricia Helfer -- Canada, actress Jacqui Hurley -- Ireland, sports broadcaster Ashton Kutcher -- United States, actor Joseph Stalin -- Soviet Union, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Danielle Panabaker -- United States, actress See also Bird feet and legs - webbing and lobation Further reading Man LX, Chang B ( January 2006 ). `` Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with a congenital digital anomaly ''. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 117 ( 1 ) : 301 -- 8. PMID 16404282. doi : 10.1097 / 01. prs. 0000194904.81981. 71. References Jump up ^ Saner, Emine ( 2007 - 09 - 19 ). `` Soul survivor ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Tricia Trivia ''. Archived from the original on 2008 - 03 - 28. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 22. Jump up ^ Tubridy, Ryan ( 31 August 2011 ). `` Here 's what happened on today 's show... ''. Tubridy. RTÉ 2fm. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. RTÉ 's sports presenter Jacqui Hurley called in to tell Ryan that she also as webbed toes ! Jacqui has two webbed toes on each foot. When Jacqui was younger she tried to cut them to make ' normal toes ' ! Now Jacqui has come to love her toes ! Her Brother and Dad also have webbed feet. Jump up ^ `` Star Tracks ( People magazine ) ''. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ `` '' Among the Dead ``, MississippiReview.com ''. Archived from the original on 2008 - 03 - 18. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ `` famous people webbed toes ''. Congenital malformations and deformations of musculoskeletal system / musculoskeletal abnormality ( Q65 -- Q76, 754 -- 756.3 ) Appendicular limb / dysmelia Arms clavicle / shoulder : Cleidocranial dysostosis Sprengel 's deformity Wallis -- Zieff -- Goldblatt syndrome hand deformity : Madelung 's deformity Clinodactyly Oligodactyly Polydactyly Leg hip : Dislocation of hip / Hip dysplasia Upington disease Coxa valga Coxa vara knee : Genu valgum Genu varum Genu recurvatum Discoid meniscus Congenital patellar dislocation Congenital knee dislocation foot deformity : varus Club foot Pigeon toe valgus Flat feet Pes cavus Rocker bottom foot Hammer toe Either / both fingers and toes Polydactyly / Syndactyly webbed toes Arachnodactyly Cenani -- Lenz syndactylism Ectrodactyly Brachydactyly Clubbed thumb reduction deficits / limb : Acheiropodia ectromelia Phocomelia Amelia Hemimelia multiple joints : Arthrogryposis Larsen syndrome Rapadilino syndrome Axial Skull and face Craniosynostosis : Scaphocephaly Oxycephaly Trigonocephaly Craniofacial dysostosis : Crouzon syndrome Hypertelorism Hallermann -- Streiff syndrome Treacher Collins syndrome other : Macrocephaly Platybasia Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia Dolichocephaly Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome Plagiocephaly Saddle nose Vertebral column spinal curvature Scoliosis Klippel -- Feil syndrome Spondylolisthesis Spina bifida occulta Sacralization Thoracic skeleton ribs : Cervical Bifid sternum : Pectus excavatum Pectus carinatum Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Webbed_toes&oldid=801229780 '' Categories : Congenital disorders of musculoskeletal system Toes Hidden categories : All articles lacking reliable references Articles lacking reliable references from March 2010 Articles needing additional references from July 2008 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016 Articles needing additional references from June 2010 Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Hrvatski Magyar Simple English Edit links This page was last edited on 18 September 2017, at 13 : 40. 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Question: what is the medical term for webbed toes
Answer: syndactyly