Sole (foot)

Sole (foot)

Infobox Anatomy
Name = PAGENAME
Latin = planta
GraySubject =
GrayPage =

|center| Caption = Soles of male (left) & female (right) feet
Artery = medial plantar, lateral plantar
Vein =
Nerve = medial plantar, lateral plantar
Lymph =
MeshName =
MeshNumber =
DorlandsPre = p_22
DorlandsSuf = 12644411
The sole is the bottom of the human foot. Anatomically, the sole of the foot is referred to as the plantar aspect. The equivalent surface in ungulates is the hoof.

Description

The skin on the sole of the foot lacks the vellus hair and pigmentation found on the rest of the body, and has a high concentration of sweat pores. The soles are crossed by a set of creases that form during embryogenesis and contain the thickest layers of skin on the human body due to the weight that is continually placed on them. Like the palm, the sweat pores of the sole lack sebaceous glands.

Innervation

The soles of the feet are extremely sensitive to touch due to a high concentration of nerve endings. This makes them sensitive to surfaces that are walked on, ticklish and some people find them to be erogenous zones. [cite book | last = Brittan | first = Patti | title = Complete Idiot's Guide to Sensual Massage | publisher = Alpha Books | year = 2003] Medically, the soles are the site of the plantar reflex, the testing of which can be painful due to the sole's sensitivity. The feet can also be a used for torture when the person is tied down immobile and the bare feet are whipped.

Arches

The sole of the adult foot is normally arched. Arches may fail to develop during childhood or may flatten during pregnancy and old age resulting in flat feet.

In culture

In the Middle East the sole of the foot is considered unclean and it is considered insulting or offensive to prominently display a bare sole. In Western culture the sensitivity of the sole makes it a target for tickling or sexual stimulation. [cite book | last = Rossi | first = William A. | title = The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe | publisher = Kreiger Publishing | year = 1993]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sole — may refer to: Contents 1 Business 2 Fish 3 People 4 O …   Wikipedia

  • Foot — For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). Foot …   Wikipedia

  • Sole — (s[=o]l), n. [AS. sole, fr. L. soolea (or rather an assumed L. sola), akin to solumround, soil, sole of the foot. Cf. {Exile}, {Saloon}, {Soil} earth, {Sole} the fish.] 1. The bottom of the foot; hence, also, rarely, the foot itself. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sole leather — Sole Sole (s[=o]l), n. [AS. sole, fr. L. soolea (or rather an assumed L. sola), akin to solumround, soil, sole of the foot. Cf. {Exile}, {Saloon}, {Soil} earth, {Sole} the fish.] 1. The bottom of the foot; hence, also, rarely, the foot itself.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sole — Sole, n. [F. sole, L. solea; so named from its flat shape. See {Sole} of the foot.] (Zo[ o]l.) (a) Any one of several species of flatfishes of the genus {Solea} and allied genera of the family {Soleid[ae]}, especially the common European species… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sole — Sole, n. [F. sole, L. solea; so named from its flat shape. See {Sole} of the foot.] (Zo[ o]l.) (a) Any one of several species of flatfishes of the genus {Solea} and allied genera of the family {Soleid[ae]}, especially the common European species… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Foot type — is determined by the shape and structure of the foot. Foot type affects the reduction of impact on the foot while walking, jogging, or running. Specifically the shape of the arch causes different levels of pronation in feet.PronationPronation is… …   Wikipedia

  • Foot whipping — Foot whipping, variously known as bastinado, falanga (phalanga), and falaka (falaqa), is a form of torture wherein the human feet are beaten with an object such as a cane or rod, a club, a piece of wood, or a whip. It is a form of punishment… …   Wikipedia

  • sole — sole1 [sōl] n. [OFr < VL * sola, for L solea, sandal, sole, kind of fish < solum, sole, base, ground, bottom] 1. the bottom surface of the foot 2. the part of a shoe, boot, sock, etc. corresponding to this 3. the bottom surface of any of… …   English World dictionary

  • sole — Ⅰ. sole [1] ► NOUN 1) the underside of a person s foot. 2) the section forming the underside of a piece of footwear. 3) the underside of a tool or implement, e.g. a plane. ► VERB (usu. be soled) ▪ put a new sole on (a shoe) …   English terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”