The aim of this study was to assess and compare intrinsic forefoot function and pliability of the forefoot in selected cohorts of shoe wearing and barefoot populations. Measurements on the right foot of randomly selected 100 non-shoe wearing (Indians) and 100 shoe wearing (British) groups were carried out. Both groups were matched for age, sex and body mass index, and had not previously suffered foot problems. Using a force gauge, the force of extension and flexion of the great toe, adduction between the first and second toe and abduction at fifth metatarsophalangeal joint was measured. The length and width of the weight bearing and non-weight bearing feet in these groups was compared using a Pliability ratio. Using the Student t-test at 95% confidence interval, there was no statistically significant difference in the intrinsic forefoot muscle function. Multivariate regression analysis showed that after adjustment for other variables like gender and ethnicity, the shod status had a significant influence on the pliability ratio. This study showed that although shoe wearing does not affect the intrinsic forefoot muscle strength, it appeared to result in stiffer forefeet. This difference is more marked in women (p = 0.008) as compared to men (p = 0.0171). Shoe wearing can affect the transmission of forces during locomotion. This can be both in the dynamic and the static settings. Most shoes have an inbuilt medial arch support and toe boxes that are narrower than the true width of forefeet wearing them. This may result in incomplete accommodation of the dynamic correlates of the transverse and longitudinal arches of the foot leading to stiffer feet that may have a negative influence on their functional capability.