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Information about Gastrocnemius

Gastrocnemius muscle
Lateral aspect of right leg.
subject #129 482
Origin:femur
Insertion:calcaneus
Artery:sural arteries
Nerve:tibial nerve from the sciatic, specifically, nerve roots S1–S2
Action:plantarflexion, flexion of knee (minor)
Antagonist:Tibialis anterior muscle
In humans, the Gastrocnemius (pronounced /ˌgæs.trɑkˈni.mi.əs/) muscle is a powerful superficial muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from its 2 heads just above the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing and walking. Along with the soleus muscle it forms the calf muscle.

The gastrocnemius is located with the soleus in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. It originates from the posterior (back) surfaces of the distal head of the femur. Its other end forms a common tendon with the soleus muscle; this tendon is known as the calcaneal tendon or Achilles tendon and inserts onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus, or heel bone.

Deep to the gastrocnemius (farther from the skin) is the soleus muscle, some anatomists consider both to be a single muscle, the triceps surae. The plantaris muscle and a portion of its tendon run between the two muscles, which is involved in "unlocking" the knee from the standing position. On the other side of the fascia are the tibialis posterior muscle, the flexor digitorum longus muscle, and the flexor hallucis longus muscle, along with the posterior tibial artery and posterior tibial vein and the tibial nerve. Since the anterior compartment of the leg is lateral to the tibia, the bulge of muscle medial to the tibia on the anterior side is actually the posterior compartment. The soleus is superficial midshaft of the tibia.

Additional Information

The gastrocnemius muscle is very prone to spasms; the painful, involuntarily, contraction of the muscle for up to several minutes. It is commonly known as a "charley horse".

This muscle is prone to injury called torn calf muscle which is disabling. See Calf muscle The Gastrocnemius muscle may also become inflamed due to overuse. Anti-inflamitories and physical therapy may be necessary.

Additional images


Right femur. Posterior surface.

Cross-section through middle of leg.

Back of left lower extremity.


External links

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Muscles of lower limbs
ILIAC REGION/ILIOPSOASpsoas major - psoas minor - iliacus
BUTTOCKSgluteals: (maximus, medius, minimus) - tensor fasciae latae
lateral rotator group: piriformis - obturator externus - obturator internus - inferior gemellus - superior gemellus - quadratus femoris
THIGHanterior compartment: sartorius - quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis) - articularis genu
medial compartment/adductor: gracilis - pectineus - adductor brevis - adductor longus - adductor magnus
posterior compartment/hamstring: biceps femoris - semitendinosus, semimembranosus
LEGanterior compartment: tibialis anterior - extensor hallucis longus - extensor digitorum longus - fibularis tertius
posterior compartment: superficial - calf/triceps surae (gastrocnemius, soleus) - plantaris deep - popliteus - tarsal tunnel (flexor hallucis longus - flexor digitorum longus - tibialis posterior)
lateral compartment: fibularis muscles (longus - brevis)
FOOTdorsal - extensor digitorum brevis - extensor hallucis brevis
plantar first layer - abductor hallucis - flexor digitorum brevis - abductor digiti minimi
plantar second layer - quadratus plantae - lumbrical muscle
plantar third layer - flexor hallucis brevis - adductor hallucis - flexor digiti minimi brevis
plantar fourth layer - dorsal interossei - plantar interossei
bold refer to the diagram at right.)

In the skull (8):
  • 1-9. cranium
  • 7. mandible
''In the middle ears (6):
  • malleus
  • incus
  • stapes
In the throat (1):
  • hyoid
In the shoulder girdle (4):
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The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous, and strongest bone of mammalian bodies. It forms part of the hip and part of the knee.

The word femur is Latin for thigh.
..... Click the link for more information.
bold refer to the diagram at right.)

In the skull (8):
  • 1-9. cranium
  • 7. mandible
''In the middle ears (6):
  • malleus
  • incus
  • stapes
In the throat (1):
  • hyoid
In the shoulder girdle (4):
..... Click the link for more information.
calcaneus forms part of the tarsi and constitutes the heel of the human foot or the point of an animal's hock . It is also known as the heel bone.

Human

It articulates with two other tarsal bones, the talus above and the cuboid toward the midfoot.
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Arteries are muscular blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.[1] All arteries, with the exception of the pulmonary and umbilical arteries, carry oxygenated blood.

The circulatory system is extremely important for sustaining life.
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The sural arteries (inferior muscular arteries) are two large branches, which are distributed to the Gastrocnemius, Soleus, and Plantaris.

They arise from the popliteal artery opposite the knee-joint.
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  • Accessory nerve
  • Accessory obturator nerve
  • Alderman's nerve
  • Anococcygeal nerve
  • Ansa cervicalis
  • Anterior interosseous nerve
  • Anterior superior alveolar nerve
  • Aortic plexus
  • Auerbach's plexus
  • Auriculotemporal nerve
  • Axillary nerve

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The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus.

In the popliteal fossa the nerve gives off branches to gastrocnemius, popliteus, soleus and plantaris, and the sural nerve.
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The sciatic nerve (also known as the ischiatic nerve) is a large nerve that starts in the lower back and runs through the buttock and down the lower limb. It is the longest single nerve in the body.
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Kinesiology is the scientific study of the anatomy, physiology, and mechanics of body movement, especially in humans. [1] The word kinesiology is derived the Greek "kinesis" (motion) + the suffix -ology or -logy from the greek "logos" or "logia"(meaning a field of study).
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Plantarflexion is the movement which increases the angle between the foot and the leg, as when depressing an automobile pedal. The word "Plantar" translates as "toward the sole" ("Planta").

The movement in the opposite direction is Dorsiflexion.
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flexion is a position that is made possible by the joint angle decreasing. The skeletal (bones, cartilage, and ligaments) and muscular (muscles and tendons) systems work together to move the joint into a "flexed" position.
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In human anatomy, the knee is the lower extremity joint connecting the femur and the tibia. Since in humans the knee supports nearly the entire weight of the body, it is the joint most vulnerable both to acute injury and to the development of osteoarthritis.
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An antagonist is a kind of muscle that acts in opposition to the movement generated by the agonist and is responsible for returning a limb to its initial position.

Antagonistic pairs in houses

These antagonistic muscles are found in pairs called antagonistic pairs.
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In human anatomy, the tibialis anterior is a muscle in the shin that spans the length of the tibia. It originates in the upper two-thirds of the lateral surface of the tibia and inserts into the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bones of the foot.
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MUSCLE (multiple sequence comparison by log-expectation) is public domain, multiple sequence alignment software for protein and nucleotide sequences.
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In human anatomy, the knee is the lower extremity joint connecting the femur and the tibia. Since in humans the knee supports nearly the entire weight of the body, it is the joint most vulnerable both to acute injury and to the development of osteoarthritis.
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The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.
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In humans and some other mammals, the soleus is a powerful muscle in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from just below the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing and walking.
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The calf or gastrosoleus is a pair of muscles—the gastrocnemius and soleus—at the back of the lower human leg.

The gastrosoleus complex is connected to the foot through the Achilles tendon, and contract to induce plantar flexion and stabilization of the
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The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous, and strongest bone of mammalian bodies. It forms part of the hip and part of the knee.

The word femur is Latin for thigh.
..... Click the link for more information.
In humans and some other mammals, the soleus is a powerful muscle in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from just below the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing and walking.
..... Click the link for more information.
Achilles tendon (or occasionally Achilles’ tendon) also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendocalcaneous is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (heel) bone.
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calcaneus forms part of the tarsi and constitutes the heel of the human foot or the point of an animal's hock . It is also known as the heel bone.

Human

It articulates with two other tarsal bones, the talus above and the cuboid toward the midfoot.
..... Click the link for more information.
The triceps surae is a term given by some anatomists to the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles together as they both insert into the calcaneus, the bone of the heel of the human foot, and form the major part of the muscle of the back part of the lower leg (the calf; otherwise known
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Plantaris is a vestigial structure and one of the superficial muscles of the posterior crural compartment of the leg.

It is innervated by the tibial nerve (S1, S2).
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The Tibialis posterior is the most central of all the leg muscles.

It is the key stabilising muscle of the lower leg.

Origin and insertion

It originates on the inner posterior borders of the tibia and fibula.
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The Flexor digitorum longus is situated on the tibial side of the leg. At its origin it is thin and pointed, but it gradually increases in size as it descends.

Origin and insertion


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The Flexor hallucis longus muscle (FHL) is a muscle of the leg. It is one of the deep muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg. the other deep muscles of the leg are flexor digitorum longus and tibialis posterior. FHL is the largest and most powerful of these deep muscles.
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The posterior tibial artery of the lower limb carries blood to the posterior compartment of the leg and plantar surface of the foot, from the popliteal artery. It is accompanied by a deep vein, the posterior tibial vein, along its course.
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