Gastrocnemius muscle

The gastrocnemius muscle (. Latinized form of the AltGr γαστήρ = stomach κνήμη = shin, " Gastrocnemius muscle ") is a skeletal muscle of the lower extremities, more of the lower leg. He works closely with the calf muscle ( soleus muscle ) together, they are synergists and is also described as the triceps surae. The gastrocnemius is the calf its typical form.

Approaches

The muscle has two muscle heads, medial head (inner [ muscle ] head ) and lateral head (lateral [ muscle ] head ) that originate on either side of the lower part of the femur.

Lower approach of the muscle is the heel bone ( calcaneus ). The common tendon ( Achilles tendon) of the gastrocnemius muscle and soleus muscle extending to said rear edge of the foot, which forms a lever and thus can potentially transmit a lot of power at the ankle. Actually applied to the ankle joint force depends on the length of the lever, ie the distance from the ankle joint between axis and approach the tendon. This is significantly greater than in Europeans, for example in Africans.

When the predators in the two tendons of origin of the muscle per a small sesamoid bone (Os sesamoideum musculi gastrocnemius ) embedded. It is also called Fabella or Vesalisches sesamoid. For animals for slaughter the muscle is part of the lower shell.

Function

When acting on two joints muscle he has numerous functions:

  • Flexion of the foot ( ie bending of the foot to bottom): Here it acts synergistically with the other Fußbeuger, the soleus muscle ( soleus ). Collectively, they are referred to as the triceps surae. From anatomical and systematic reasons is what every man would call stretching due to the intuition, called diffraction ( plantar flexion ). In the animal, this is referred to as extension of the ankle.
  • Flexion of the knee joint: For fixation of the ankle by extrinsic forces or antagonists of the gastrocnemius muscle may be involved in the growing the heel to the buttocks.
  • A further object is to supination of the foot.
  • In the literature it is sometimes also specified a material interest in the internal rotation of the lower leg through the inner head of the gastrocnemius muscle.

With its main function, the bending of the foot down, the muscle has a prominent function in walking, running and jumping, but also for technically supported forms of transport such as cycling and rowing sporty. This function then makes a primarily sports outstanding important role when a propelling as running and cycling is to be produced, without the entire sole of the foot, the force transferred to the ground or the pedals, but the bales.

Innervation

The gastrocnemius muscle is the posterior tibial nerve, a branch of the sciatic nerve, innervates.

Clinic

Failure of the gastrocnemius muscle is typical sign of the Dancing Doberman Disease, a rare neurological disease in pinschers.

Plantarflexion List of flexors of the human body Nerve fiber Triceps surae muscle List of muscles of the human body
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