Soleus

The soleus is a powerful muscle in the back part of the calf. It runs from just below the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing and walking.

Anatomy of the Soleus

The soleus is antagonist to the tibialis anterior muscle and innervation is by the tibial nerve. It is supplied by the sural arteries.

The soleus originates from the posterior back surfaces of the head of the fibula and its upper third, as well as the middle third of the internal border of the tibia.

The other end of the soleus forms a common tendon with the gastrocnemius muscle. This tendon is known as the calcaneal tendon or Achilles tendon and inserts onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus, or heel bone.

Functions of the Soleus

The main function of the soleus is plantarflexion of the foot. This means that they increase the angle between the foot and the leg.

When in an upright posture, it is responsible for pumping venous blood back into the heart from the periphery, and is often called the peripheral heart.

You will use the soleus muscle every time you stand upright, walking, running and dancing.

Some of the best exercises to strengthen the iliacus muscle include the seated calf raise, calf raises (bent knee) and the soleus stretch.

The common injuries to the soleus are the calf strain and the Achilles rupture.

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