Massage.
MuscleLegintermediateDraft

SoleusMusculus soleus

Broad, flat calf muscle lying under the gastrocnemius that points the foot and keeps the body from tipping forward when standing.

No image yet
LatinMusculus soleus
Origin
  • Back of the head of the fibula and the upper third of the back of the fibula shaft
  • Soleal (popliteal) line and middle third of the medial border of the tibia
  • Tendinous arch between the tibial and fibular origins
Insertion
  • Middle of the back of the calcaneus (heel bone), via the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon shared with gastrocnemius
Action
  • Plantarflexes the ankle (points the foot)
  • Steadies the leg over the foot in standing and stops the body falling forward
  • Helps pump venous blood back up the leg when it contracts (the calf muscle pump)
NerveTibial nerve (S1–S2)
NameLatin solea, 'sandal' or 'sole' — named for its broad, flat shape.

Palpation

  1. Client prone with a bolster under the ankles and the knee slightly bent to relax the gastrocnemius.
  2. Place your hands on the lower half of the calf, below where the gastrocnemius bellies end.
  3. Feel the soleus bulging out on both the inner and outer sides of the leg, either side of the Achilles tendon.
  4. Bend the client's knee to about 90° and ask them to point the foot against light resistance; the soleus firms while the gastrocnemius stays softer.

Landmarks: Calcaneus · Medial malleolus · Lateral malleolus

The soleus lies directly under Gastrocnemius. It is wider and flatter, and in the lower calf it sticks out on both sides of the gastrocnemius, so you can reach it there without going through the upper muscle. Both muscles join to form the calcaneal tendon, better known as the Achilles tendon, which attaches to the Calcaneus. Together they are sometimes called the triceps surae.

Soleus is a postural muscle made mostly of slow, fatigue-resistant fibres. It works almost all the time while we stand, so people on their feet all day commonly report a deep ache low in the calf. Because it does not cross the knee, it is stretched best with the knee bent. In a Posterior lower limb — 20 min routine, work it after the gastrocnemius with Petrissage and Wringing on the lower half of the calf, and use thumb Compression beside the Achilles tendon.

Source notes. Sources disagree on two points. For the fibular origin, Gray’s Anatomy (1918) gives the upper third of the back of the fibula, while Wikipedia says the upper quarter. For nerve roots, Gray gives S1–S2; Wikipedia’s infobox gives L5–S2 and its text gives L4–S2. This note uses S1–S2.

Techniques

  • Effleurage — Long, gliding strokes with the whole palm that spread the medium, warm the tissue and link the other strokes together.
  • Petrissage — Kneading strokes that compress, lift and squeeze the muscle away from the bone, working the tissue between the hands.
  • Wringing — A petrissage stroke where the hands lift the tissue and push and pull it across the body in opposite directions, like wringing out a towel.
  • Compression — Pressing straight down into a muscle with the palm, fist or forearm, holding briefly, then releasing and moving on.
  • Circular friction — Small circles made with the finger or thumb pads that move the skin over the deeper tissue without sliding, to work a specific spot.
  • Passive stretching — The therapist gently moves a relaxed limb to lengthen a muscle to a point of mild stretch and holds it there, with no effort from the client.

Works with

  • Gastrocnemius — Two-headed superficial calf muscle that runs from above the knee to the heel and points the foot and helps bend the knee.
  • Tibialis posterior — The deepest muscle at the back of the leg; it turns the sole inwards, helps point the foot and is a major support for the inner arch.
  • Flexor digitorum longus — Deep muscle on the inner back of the leg that curls the four small toes and helps point the foot.
  • Flexor hallucis longus — Deep muscle on the outer back of the leg that bends the big toe and gives the push-off in walking, running and rising onto the toes.

Opposes

  • Tibialis anterior — Long muscle beside the shin bone that lifts the foot up (dorsiflexion) and turns the sole inwards (inversion).
  • Extensor digitorum longus — Feather-shaped muscle on the outer front of the lower leg that lifts the four small toes and helps lift the foot.
  • Extensor hallucis longus — Thin muscle on the front of the lower leg, partly hidden by its neighbours, that lifts the big toe and helps lift the foot.

Used in routines

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Soleus muscle
  2. Wikipedia: Achilles tendon
  3. Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918), Myology 8c: The Muscles and Fasciae of the Leg (archived Bartleby page) (Public domain. Used for attachments and roots (S1–S2). Wikipedia gives wider roots; see the note body.)