digitigrade posture

locomotion

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June 25, 2026

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Digitigrade posture refers to a method of locomotion where an animal walks on its digits (toes) with the posterior of the foot raised off the ground. This is in contrast to plantigrade posture, where the entire foot touches the ground, and unguligrade posture, where only the hoof touches the ground.12

Animals that are digitigrade, such as dogs and cats, have short, muscular upper legs and elongated lower legs. This anatomical adaptation helps to decrease the duration of the leg's movement cycle, thereby increasing running speed. This posture is common in cursorial (running) vertebrates.3

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  …human, baboon, and bear), (2) digitigrade, in which only the phalanges (toes and fingers) touch the ground, while the ankle and wrist are elevated (e.g., dog and cat), and (3) unguligrade, in which only a hoof (the tip of one or two digits) touches the ground—a specialization of running animals…
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  …human, baboon, and bear), (2) digitigrade, in which only the phalanges (toes and fingers) touch the ground, while the ankle and wrist are elevated (e.g., dog and cat), and (3) unguligrade, in which only a hoof (the tip of one or two digits) touches the ground—a specialization of running animals…
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