What Nerve Feeds Achilles Tendon and Calf Muscle

Calf muscles are located on the lower part of your leg, behind your knee. They're responsible for stabilizing your ankle and foot as you walk, run, and jump.

The calf muscles are made up of two separate muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is the larger of the two muscles and is visible in the front of your lower leg. The soleus is smaller and deeper in the back of your lower leg. Both calves work together to move your foot up and down.

To stay healthy, it's important to maintain wholesome blood flow to your calves. This can be done by regularly stretching and massaging them. It's also important to wear comfortable shoes that fit well and provide ample support. Read on to know more about pain in a calf muscle, its function, causes of discomfort, and treatment.

What Is The Calf Muscle?

The tricep surae muscles are also known as the calf muscles. The calf muscle is the largest of all the muscles in the leg. It's located on the back of the leg and is responsible for some of the most important movements in walking, running and jumping. In addition to these activities, it also plays a role in posture and balance.

Calf muscles attach at various points along the leg to a number of bones: tibia, fibula, and ankle bones. In addition, many other smaller tendons run through the calves, including tibialis posterior, extensor digitorum longus (EDL), extensor hallucis longus (EHL), and lateral plantar tendon.

Calf muscle shape can be quite variable depending on the shape of the calf, the person's build, and their overall training volume. If a person has a very round calf, then they may have a very wide and/or short muscle. A more triangular shape tends to be associated with a narrow muscle group.

Conversely, if someone has a long torso, they may have long muscles that are unable to perform optimally. This applies to someone with a shorter torso. This will result in a longer and/or narrower muscular frame. A person with naturally low-arched feet may also have a long calf muscle, since their arch is not able to support their weight ,as well as someone with more support from their arch. Due to their longer leg length, taller people with longer legs will also have longer calf muscles than shorter individuals with shorter legs.

The calf muscle consists of a pair of muscles known as the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which derive their names from the Greek words gaster (stomach or belly), kneme (portion of the leg between the knee and ankle), and soleus from the Latin word for sandal. In addition to supporting propulsion and stabilization during walking, running, and jumping, the fundamental role of these two muscles is to work together as plantar flexors (bending the foot back at the ankle joint) and knee flexors (bending the knee).

Gastrocnemius muscle

The gastrocnemius muscle lies on top of the soleus, running from the knee to the ankle joints. It is the less powerful plantar flexor when compared with the soleus muscle and comprises of two parts: the medial head and the lateral head. The origin point of the medial head arises from the medial condyle of the femur, and the origin point of the lateral head arises from the lateral condyle of the femur. The gastrocnemius muscle has two bellies that lie side by side and merge in the middle of the calf at the gastrocnemius aponeurosis, which eventually merges into the tendo calcaneous, and the two heads share the same insertion point with the soleus tendon.

Soleus Muscle

The soleus muscle is a complex multi-pennate muscle that's more powerful than that of the gastrocnemius muscle and has multiple origin points arising from the posterior head of the fibula and down along a quarter of its shaft, as well as from a fibrous band between the fibula and tibia two and then along the soleal line on the tibia. The soleus muscle fibers merge into a large tendon which joins with the tendo calcaneous and the tendon for the gastrocnemius muscle before its insertion point on the calcaneous bone, the heel bone.

What Is The Purpose Of The Calf Muscle?

The calf muscle is located at the back of the lower leg. It is a large, thick muscle that helps to push up against the foot, allowing us to stand and walk.

This muscle is also involved in running and jumping. The calf muscle has two main functions: it helps to control movement in the ankle and it supports the arch of the foot.

The majority of the calf is made up of type I muscle fibers. Type I fibers are slow-twitch muscle fibers that can be activated slowly and last for a long time. They help to support the arch of the foot, as well as balance while walking or standing.

Type II muscle fibers are fast-twitch muscle fibers that can be activated quickly and last for a short period of time. These fibers help to control movement in the ankle and are important for running, jumping, and other activities that require quick movements.

The soleus is located between the gastrocnemius (calf) and the Achilles tendon. It is an area that adds extra length to your calf to create a bigger "pop" when you step off of something. The soleus is made up of Type IIA muscle fiber, which helps with speed and power more so than endurance.

Where Is The Calf Muscle?

Calf muscles are located on the back of your legs, and they also involve your Achilles tendon. The main function of the calf muscles is to pull your leg backward, which makes them an important part of supporting your entire body. As you walk or run, your calf muscles help to propel you forward. Because they are so important for movement, calf muscles are very flexible and elastic. They can stretch and expand to accommodate changes in leg length and position. This is why they are also sometimes referred to as "stretchy muscles" or "balloon muscles."

Calf muscles are made up of three main groups of fibers: Type 1 (longitudinal), Type 2 (radial), and Type 3 (fascia). Type 1 muscle fibers move the leg from side-to-side, while type 2 muscle fibers move the leg from front-to-back. The Type 3 fascia wraps around each muscle fiber, helping to keep everything in place and giving the muscle its characteristic round shape when viewed from above.

Calf muscles do not have many blood vessels or nerves running through them, so they rely on strong sensory feedback from the rest of the body to communicate with surrounding tissues.

What Does The Calf Muscle Look Like?

The calf muscle is a long and narrow muscle located at the back of the lower leg. It typically begins at the heel and extends up along the back of the shin, forming a pyramid shape from one end to the other. At its widest point, it measures about 6 to 8 inches in length. The muscle can be divided into two areas: a front area called the gastrocnemius, and a back area called the soleus.

The gastrocnemius contains two main muscles: the medial head, which is located on top of the shin midline, and the lateral head, which is located on either side of that midline.

The soleus contains two main muscles: the plantar flexor, which helps to bend your toes downward; and the plantarflexor, which helps to lift your toes upward.

In addition to these main parts, there are also smaller calf muscles that extend out along both sides of the leg and help to stabilize your ankle. The most obvious feature of a calf muscle is its size; it's very large relative to other muscles in your body. The calf muscle is also very visible because it sticks out horizontally from your leg like a rectangular sheet of parchment paper.

Causes Of Calf Pain And Treatment Options

There are many different factors that cause calf pain, and these can range from very minor to more serious conditions. Here are some of the most common causes of calf pain.

Tension in your calves

This is one of the most common causes of calf pain and often occurs when a person has been walking or running more than usual. This can occur if you're training for a race or even walking a lot more than normal, such as during pregnancy. Your calves are the muscles that are responsible for pumping blood back up to your heart, so they are very active.

Muscle strain or tear

This can be due to strength training that you're not used to, or if you've done the wrong exercises for your fitness level. Muscle strains and tears can be acute or chronic, meaning they are short-term or long-term.

Tightness in your lower leg

This is often due to the fact that you're not stretching and warming up enough before you exercise. This can cause tightness in your lower leg and lead to pain, especially when you are exercising.

Stress fracture

This is a break in the bone that occurs due to too much stress being placed on the area. Stress fractures are common among athletes who are new to a sport, such as runners. They can also occur if you're suddenly increasing the intensity of your workouts.

Ill-fitting or worn-out shoes

This is a common cause of calf pain in runners and can lead to more serious conditions, such as a stress fracture.

The best way to treat calf pain is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. Here are a few tips to help you prevent and treat calf pain.

Warm up and stretch – Always warm up before you exercise and stretch after you finish. This will help loosen your muscles and prevent many injuries, such as muscle strains and tears.
Eat healthy – Eating healthy foods is not only good for your health in general, but can also help prevent many sports injuries as well. Healthy foods can help you maintain a healthy weight, which can prevent overuse injuries due to your shoes being too heavy. Eating healthy can also help prevent muscle strains and tears, which are common among athletes.
Seek medical attention – If you experience sudden and extreme pain, especially if it is accompanied by swelling and tenderness in your calves, you should seek medical attention. This is especially true if the pain occurs with no explanation, such as during rest. These are signs of a more serious condition that may require treatment, such as surgery or antibiotics.

References:

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Ashaolu JO, Oni-orisan OA, Ukwenya VO, Opabunmi OA, Ajao MS. The quadriceps gastrocnemius muscle.Surg Radiol Anat. 2014;36(10):1101-1103.

Carroll AM, Lee DV, Biewener AA. Differential muscle function between muscle synergists: long and lateral heads of the triceps in jumping and landing goats (Capra hircus).J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008;105(4):1262-1273.

Balius R, Alomar X, Rodas G, et al. The soleus muscle: MRI, anatomic and histologic findings in cadavers with clinical correlation of strain injury distribution.Skeletal Radiol. 2013;42(4):521-530.

Medina Pabón MA, Naqvi U. Achilles Tendonitis. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; May 8, 2022.

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Source: https://musclesused.com/calf-muscle/