Muscles / Lower legs
Gastrocnemius
- Lower legs
- Leg & ankle
- Superficial layer
Part of Triceps surae.
Anatomy
- Origin
- Lateral head: lateral femoral condyle; medial head: popliteal surface above the medial condyle
- Insertion
- Posterior calcaneus via the calcaneal tendon
- Nerve
- Tibial nerve (S1-S2)
Actions
- Plantarflexes the ankle when the knee is extended
- Flexes the knee
Exercises that train it most
Also trained by
Parts
Notes
- Straight-knee heel raises increase gastrocnemius activity relative to bent-knee raises.
References (5)
- Hébert-Losier K, Schneiders AG, García JA, Sullivan SJ, Simoneau GG. J Strength Cond Res. 2012;26(11):3124-3133. Influence of knee flexion angle and age on triceps surae muscle activity during heel raises
- Standring S, ed. Elsevier. Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 42nd ed.
- Dalley AF, Agur AMR. Wolters Kluwer. Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 9th ed.
- Neumann DA. Elsevier. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.
- Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, et al. OpenStax (free, openly licensed textbook). Anatomy and Physiology 2e