Most early mammals such as pantodonts were plantigrade.

Among archosaurs, the pterosaurs were partially plantigrade and walked on the whole of the hind foot and the fingers of the hand-wing.

Plantigrade mammal species include (but are not limited to): Some primates (including humans), Carnivora: Ursidae: bears, amphicyonids, Musteloidea: skunks, raccoons, weasels, badgers, otters, and red pandas, Rodents: mice, rats, porcupines, Lagomorphs: rabbits, Hedgehogs, Hyraxes, Marsupialia: kangaroos, opossums.

The primary advantages of a plantigrade foot are stability and weight-bearing ability; plantigrade feet have the largest surface area. The primary disadvantage of a plantigrade foot is speed. With more bones and joints in the foot, the leg is both shorter and heavier at the far end, which makes it difficult to move rapidly.

In humans and other great apes, another possible advantage of a plantigrade foot is that it may enhance fighting performance by providing a more powerful stance for striking and grappling.

Plantigrade foot occurs normally in humans in static postures of standing and sitting. It should also occur normally in gait (walking). Hypertonicity, spasticity, clonus, limited range of motion, abnormal flexion neural pattern, and a plantar flexor (calf) muscle contracture, as well as some forms of footwear such as high heeled shoes may contribute to an individual only standing and/or walking on their toes. It would be evident by the observable heel rise.