This is an I-Heart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

Welcome to Brain Stuff, a production of IHeart Radio.

Hey, Brainstuff, Lauren Vogelbaum here.

Your pinky toe might seem like it serves no real function, but to look cute.

But if you've ever stubbed, fractured,

or otherwise injured it, you find out otherwise. You're probably surprised at how much an injured

fifth toe affects your everyday life. The pinky is part of an extremely complex system

within the foot. Think about how much strength, flexibility,

and fine motor control is packed into that relatively small structure. Every floor standard

foot is composed of about 33 joints, 26 bones, 20-ish muscles, more than 100 tendons and

ligaments, bursi to keep the tendons lubricated,

and a whole bunch of blood vessels to keep all of that equipment working.

All of these parts can make any foot injury extra unpleasant.

For the article this episode is based on,

How Stuff Works spoke by email with Dr. Editi Gupta Ja, a consultant physician. She said,

any pain in that area is definitely high, since it is mostly muscle and blood, leading to more

inflammation and aches when swollen. Should something happen, you can learn to live without this

little piggy, but it's easier to have one,

as it works in concert with the other toes and the rest of the foot to get humans who walk

where they need to go. How Stuff Works also spoke with podiatrist Dr. Bruce Pinker. He explained,

the purpose of the pinky toe is to provide balance and propulsion.

...