The soleus muscle is located on the back of your leg just above the Achilles tendon, extending up to the main calf muscle. Because it's used to generate power for pushing off the ground with the foot, it's subject to injury, overuse and fatigue if...
The gastrocnemius and the soleus are the two muscles that comprise your calf. The larger, visible muscle is the gastrocnemius, which raises your heel off the floor and works with your hamstrings to flex your knee and bring your heel toward your...
Your soleus muscle, also referred to as the calf muscle, is located in the back of your lower leg. According to Aurora Health Care, a strained calf muscle occurs when there is a partial tear in the muscle fibers. Tight calf muscles, fatigue and...
The soleus is one of the two major muscles that make up the calf. Functionally, it is responsible for helping you stand up from a seated position, and bio-mechanically, its primary role is to plantar flex the ankle when the knee is bent. According...
Your soleus muscle makes up a large portion of the back of your lower leg, calves. It lies underneath the gastrocnemius, which is the muscle most people associate with the calves because its muscular shape is easier to see. Your soleus is what...
The plantaris muscle and the soleus muscle in the calf are prone to injuries related to running. In some cases, an injured plantaris muscle is often associated with calf pain and injury to the soleus muscle. It is important that you speak to your...
Your soleus is your lowermost calf muscle and lies below your gastrocnemius which is your major calf muscle. Responsible for extending your ankle--a movement called plantar flexion--your soleus is most active when your knee is bent. Classed as a...
The soleus and gastrocnemius are two of the muscles in your calves and are heavily involved in many of the exercises you perform each day. An adequate fitness program will incorporate stretching because it increases flexibility, improves...
Basically any exercise that incorporates your legs puts wear and tear on your soleus muscles. Even many everyday activities, such as simply walking or climbing a flight of stairs, will put your soleus muscles to work. To achieve a deep stretch of...
The soleus muscle is also known as your calf muscle and runs just below the back of your knee to the heel. The calf muscle is a powerful muscle that contracts while walking and standing. If over trained by running, jumping or other high intensity...
Your calves are made up of two muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Your gastrocnemius muscle, the bigger of the two, runs from your thigh bone to your Achilles tendon. Your soleus muscle, which lies beneath the gastrocnemius, runs from your...
Your calf muscles are comprised primarily of two muscles, with the main muscle being the gastrocnemius muscle, which is the large muscle that becomes defined when you flex your calf. It isn't only the largest muscle in your calf, but also the one...
The soleus muscles of the calves is often neglected in calf workouts, resulting in a weak point in the lower leg. The soleus muscle assists the main calf muscle, the gastrocnemius, in daily activities such as walking and also is the prime mover...
The muscle below the calf is called the soleus. This muscle is used to hold posture and is a slow-twitch muscle. This muscle can only be targeted with one exercise and responds best to volume training.
Warming up and stretching the soleus is highly important for activities that require a lot of pressing down, or plantarflexing, of the feet. These activities include sports such as basketball or soccer but also include less vigorous activities...
The calves are the muscles in the backs of your lower legs. Working your calf muscles involves movement at the ankle joint, lifting up onto your toes. Doing the calf raise exercise in a standing versus seated position targets different muscles....
Your soleus muscle is active every time you take a step. This muscle's function is plantar flexion or planting the ball of your foot on the ground and raising your heel. It attaches to the back of your lower leg bones and to your heel or...
Pain in the calf muscle is very common for runners. The pain is typically the result of a calf muscle strain or tear. While many runners experience lower calf muscle pain at some point, the pain is preventable and often easily treated if addressed...
When you think about stretching your legs, the first muscles that may come to mind are your hamstrings and quads, but some lesser-known muscles need just as much attention to help you stay flexible and avoid injury. The gastrocnemius muscle, known...
Your inner calf muscle, hidden between the large, obvious gastrocnemius and your lower leg bones, is called the soleus. The gastrocnemius tends to activate powerfully during jumping exercises and works at its best when your leg is straight at the...
Two separate muscles, the larger gastrocnemius and the smaller soleus, make up the calf. The gastrocnemius sits on top of the soleus, the deeper muscle. Tight calf muscles "can affect the health of your feet, knees, hips, low back and even your...
The big muscle you see in the lower leg is the gastrocnemius, but it is not the only muscle of the calf. The soleus muscle is also a calf muscle even though it is below the gastrocnemius, and you cannot see it. Both these muscles are mainly...
Your calf is actually a combination of strong muscles and tendons. The gastrocnemius muscle runs from the back of your knee to the back of your heel and is divided into the lateral and medial heads. The soleus muscle attaches to the back of your...
The standing calf raise is one of the most effective and popular strengthening exercises for the calf muscles of the lower leg. According to the American Council on Exercise, the calf raise primarily works the gastrocnemius muscle while the soleus...
As Suzanne Martin states in her book "Stretching," stretching helps lengthen muscles, which can shorten because of exercises, gravity and age. Therefore, the lengthening affect of any calf stretch that is performed on a regular basis may help give...
Two main groups in the back of the lower part of the leg make up the calf muscle: the gastrocnemius, or gastroc for short, and the soleus. The calf muscles are one of the most common places for people to experience muscle cramps due to overuse or...
Your soleus is the lesser-known of the two calf muscles responsible for plantar flexion, or pointing your toes. The larger, two-headed gastrocnemius muscle so obviously gives your calf its shape that you may not even know the soleus exists. But...
Jogging calls heavily upon the muscles of your legs. Your calf muscles and ankles need daily stretching to avoid pain and injury from jogging. At the end of your workout when your muscles are pliable, spend time performing ankle and calf...
The calves are made up of three muscles: the gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis anterior. The gastrocnemius is the large muscle, extending from your ankle to your knee. The soleus muscle lies underneath the gastrocnemius. According to...
Stretch blocks, or stretching slant boards are used to restore normal flexibility. Learn how to use stretch blocks in this health video.
How to target muscles in playground fitness in this free playground health video.
Strengthen the calves with calf raises. Learn about dumbbell exercises for stronger, more flexible calf muscles in this fitness video.
