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Gastrocnemius Muscle

It extends about 2.8 to  3.9 inches down from the knee and lies between the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius  branches at the top behind the knee. These two branches are known as the medial and lateral heads.

During walking the gastrocnemius flexes and when the knee bends it causes the femur (thigh bone) to be pulled toward the tibia in the lower leg  which causes the knee to bend. The achilles tendon on the heel is the strongest tendon in the body.  Both  the  gastrocnemius and the soleus join the achilles tendon.  The top of the tendon starts about 5.9 inches above the heel and runs centerline to the  heel  below  the ankle.  It is important to the following functions of running, walking and jumping.

 

Anatomy of the Gastrocnemius Muscle:

  • Two heads called the lateral head and the medial head

  • The lateral head originates from the attachment to the lateral condyle of the femur.

  • The medial head originates from the attachment to the medial condyle of the femur.

  • The insertion of the gastrocnemius muscle is  onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus (heel bone).

 

 

Before insertion to the heel bone the gastrocnemius  muscle  forms a common tendon with the soleus muscle called the calcaneal  tendon or Achilles  Tendon.  Although  the  soleus muscle is separately named it is considered by some anatomists  to be  a single muscle with the gastrocnemius muscle. The name in such instances is called the triceps surae or “calf muscle” and this is because they are sharing a common insertion to their ends at the Achilles Tendon. Frequently there is a sesamoid bone called the “fabella” in the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle.


It extends about 2.8 to  3.9 inches down from the knee and lies between the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius  branches at the top behind the knee. These two branches are known as the medial and lateral heads.

During walking the gastrocnemius flexes and when the knee bends it causes the femur (thigh bone) to be pulled toward the tibia in the lower leg  which causes the knee to bend. The achilles tendon on the heel is the strongest tendon in the body.  Both  the  gastrocnemius and the soleus join the achilles tendon.  The top of the tendon starts about 5.9 inches above the heel and runs centerline to the  heel  below  the ankle.  It is important to the following functions of running, walking and jumping.

 

Anatomy of the Gastrocnemius Muscle:

  • Two heads called the lateral head and the medial head

  • The lateral head originates from the attachment to the lateral condyle of the femur.

  • The medial head originates from the attachment to the medial condyle of the femur.

  • The insertion of the gastrocnemius muscle is  onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus (heel bone).

 

 

Before insertion to the heel bone the gastrocnemius  muscle  forms a common tendon with the soleus muscle called the calcaneal  tendon or Achilles  Tendon.  Although  the  soleus muscle is separately named it is considered by some anatomists  to be  a single muscle with the gastrocnemius muscle. The name in such instances is called the triceps surae or “calf muscle” and this is because they are sharing a common insertion to their ends at the Achilles Tendon. Frequently there is a sesamoid bone called the “fabella” in the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle.

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