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Portrait of Gastrocnemius

Anatomy · Muscles

Gastrocnemius

The two-headed muscle of the calf

Lower limb · leg, posterior compartment

Gastrocnemius is the superficial two-headed muscle that forms the bulge of the calf. Its heads arise from the medial and lateral condyles of the femur and join the soleus in the Achilles (calcaneal) tendon. It plantarflexes the ankle and flexes the knee, and is supplied by the tibial nerve.

How to spot them

  • ▸Two bellies, medial (larger) and lateral, forming the diamond bulge of the calf
  • ▸Heads arise from the femur above the knee, so the muscle crosses the knee
  • ▸Overlies soleus, with which it shares the Achilles tendon
  • ▸Its name means 'belly of the leg' in Greek

What to know

The superficial two-headed muscle that forms the bulge of the calf

Gastrocnemius.

A calf muscle that crosses the knee, its two heads arising from the femoral condyles

Gastrocnemius — soleus, by contrast, does not.

The muscle whose name means 'belly of the leg'

Gastrocnemius — from Greek gaster (belly) and kneme (leg).

A muscle that shares the calcaneal tendon with soleus and plantaris

Gastrocnemius.

Its power drives rising on the toes and pushing off in running and jumping

Gastrocnemius.

A muscle supplied by the tibial nerve (S1–S2) that can be strained at the medial head, the so-called 'tennis leg'

Gastrocnemius.

Key ideas

  • With soleus it forms the triceps surae, three heads sharing one tendon; the gastrocnemius acts best with the knee straight, soleus with the knee bent.
  • The tendon of gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris together make the Achilles tendon, the thickest and strongest tendon of the body.

Quick-fire facts

  • •Origin: medial head from the medial femoral condyle; lateral head from the lateral femoral condyle.
  • •Insertion: posterior surface of the calcaneus via the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon.
  • •Nerve supply: tibial nerve (S1–S2).
  • •Actions: plantarflexes the ankle and flexes the knee.
  • •It has two heads, medial and lateral, and with soleus forms the triceps surae.
  • •The Achilles tendon is the thickest and strongest tendon in the body.
  • •The name comes from Greek gaster (belly) and kneme (leg).

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Sources