This is why people have a foot fetish

I don't understand much about the whole sexual thing around feet. Probably because I generally find this body part very unattractive and I dislike my own feet. Still, there are plenty of people who are obsessed with feet and have a so-called ‘foot fetish’. I have nothing against this, but I am very curious about where it comes from. How does such a foot fetish develop? Could it have something to do with the sensitivity of our feet? After all, there are a lot of nerve endings running through them.

Not much research has been conducted on this specific fetish, but a study from 2007, published in the International Journal of Impotence Research, showed that a significant number of people get aroused by feet. The researchers asked 5000 participants what fetish they had, and it turned out that the preference really leaned towards feet and objects related to feet.

According to sex expert Stuart Nugent, the foot fetish can be explained in three ways: psychologically, neurologically, and biologically. The psychological explanation would be that feet can become a fetish due to factors that are already present in childhood. Through conditioning, sexual responses in childhood are linked to non-sexual objects such as feet. This theory suggests that such a fetish develops quite early and unconsciously.

Then there is the neurological theory, which explains the foot fetish based on the nerve pathways of the feet, which come together right next to those of the genitals around the spine. This also explains why feet are sensitive when you have an orgasm. Signals coming from the feet can be perceived by the brain as signals coming from your genitals. This is actually quite a logical explanation when you think about it.

Finally, there is the biological explanation: the smell of feet triggers a hormonal response in some people. Well, I find it hard to accept this because besides the fact that I find feet unattractive, I would prefer to absorb as little of the smell they bring with them as possible.

I do believe that the term ‘foot fetish’ has a rather negative connotation. Sex expert Camilla Constance tells Metro UK that our feet are simply an erogenous zone and that it's a shame that this is quickly labeled as a fetish because it is a natural phenomenon. I completely agree with this; let's just scrap this dirty word.

source: metro