The ankle is much more stable going upstairs than downstairs. Most twisted ankles occur when the toes are pointed slightly in and the body is moving forward. The muscles of the calf region may become shortened by various means such as the wearing of high heels. If this happens, it becomes very painful to walk without shoes. With the toes pointed and the heel raised, the ankle becomes very unstable The inside arch of the foot is supported mainly by ligaments.
Muscles support ligaments in dynamic loading such as running and jumping.
Standing for a long period of time causes muscle fatigue, allowing underlying ligaments to lengthen slowly, thus creating flat feet. Running requires the use of the big toe. Sometimes, the second toe is longer than the first. It is more often seen in women than in men. It was often used as a sign of beauty.