Calf Anatomy

The lower leg has many different muscles, that help to enable the movements associated with the ankle and joints of the feet.

The main muscles in the lower leg are the two calve muscles (Gastrocnemius 4) and (Soleus - under your gastrocnemius) at the rear of your lower leg, and (Tibilais Anterior 2) at the front of your leg.

The two powerful calve muscles aid in flexion of the ankle joint, i.e. they raise your heel off the ground.

Gastrocnemius originates at the lower end of your thigh bone (femur), behind your knee, and attaches onto your heel bone (calcaneus) via a very strong tendon, known as the Achilles (3). This muscle also assists the hamstring muscles in flexion of the knee - bringing your foot up towards your buttocks.

The Soleus originates at the rear upper portions of both your tibia (shin bone) and fibia, and again attaches onto your heel bone via the Achilles tendon.

The Tibilais Anterior aids in dorsal flexion of the foot, i.e. raising your foot off the floor with your heel on the ground. It originates at the top of your shin bone (tibia) and attaches onto the inside of your foot (first metatarsal), and also aids in inversion of the foot, (taking the foot out to the side).

1 The main calve muscle gastrocnemius has two muscular bellies, which both attach onto the Achilles tendon. For this reason it is always worth remembering to adjust your foot position when performing any of the exercises, feet point inwards - forwards - outwards.

One of the strongest tendons in the body 2 the Achilles tendon.

The soleus 3 is positioned underneath the gastrocnemius, and helps give the calve muscle size, as these muscles are generally difficult to grow in size for body builders.

The hamstring muscles 4 attach around the back of the knee, and are often felt being stretched when performing calf stretches, aim to stretch both your calves - tibialis anterior and hamstrings when performing any lower body exercises.

The multitude of other muscles around the lower body aid in bringing the foot inwards and outwards, and also to raise and work the feet and toes.