WordNet

the muscle in the back part of the leg that forms the greater part of the calf; responsible for the plantar flexion of the foot (同)gastrocnemius_muscle

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出典(authority):フリー百科事典『ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』「2014/04/22 16:22:00」(JST)

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In humans, the gastrocnemius muscle (/ˌɡæstrɒkˈniːmiəs/ or /ˌɡæstrəkˈniːmiəs/; Latin, from Greek γαστήρ "stomach" and κνήμη (knēmē) "leg"; meaning "stomach of leg", referring to the bulging shape of the calf) is a very powerful superficial bipennate muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg. It runs from its two heads just above the knee to the heel.

Structure

The gastrocnemius is located with the soleus in the posterior (back) compartment of the leg. The lateral head originates from the lateral condyle of the femur, while the medial head originates from the medial condyle of the femur. Its other end forms a common tendon with the soleus muscle; this tendon is known as the calcaneal tendon or Achilles Tendon and inserts onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus, or heel bone.

Deep to the gastrocnemius (farther from the skin) is the soleus muscle. Some anatomists consider both to be a single muscle, the triceps surae or "calf muscle", since they share a common insertion via the Achilles tendon. The plantaris muscle and a portion of its tendon run between the two muscles, which is involved in "locking" the knee from the standing position. Since the anterior compartment of the leg is lateral to the tibia, the bulge of muscle medial to the tibia on the anterior side is actually the posterior compartment. The soleus is superficial to the mid-shaft of the tibia.

Variation

Frequently there is a sesamoid bone called the "fabella" in the lateral head of gastrocnemius muscle.

Function

The gastrocnemius is involved in standing, walking, running and jumping. Along with the soleus muscle it forms the calf muscle. Its function is plantar flexing the foot at the ankle joint and flexing the leg at the knee joint.

Clinical significance

The gastrocnemius muscle is prone to spasms, which are painful, involuntary, contractions of the muscle that may last several minutes.^[1]

A severe ankle dorsiflexion force may result in an injury of the muscle, commonly referred to as a "torn" or "strained" calf muscle, which is acutely painful and disabling.

The gastrocnemius muscle may also become inflamed due to overuse. Anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy (heat, massage, and stretching) may be useful.

Anatomical abnormalities involving the medial head of gastrocnemius muscle result in popliteal artery entrapment syndrome.

History

In a 1967 EMG study, Herman and Bragin concluded that its most important role was plantar flexing in large contractions and in rapid development of tension.^[2]

Additional images

Nerves, arteries and veins surround the gastrocnemius and soleus.
Muscle layer under the gastrocnemius
Cross section of the lower leg
Right femur. Posterior surface.
Back of left lower extremity.
Gastrocnemius muscle
Gastrocnemius muscle
Lateral aspect of right leg.

References

^ "Nighttime Leg Cramps". WebMD. August 19, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
^ Hamilton, Nancy; Luttgens, Kathryn (2001). Kinesiology: Scientific Basis of Human Motion (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-248910-1.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gastrocnemius muscle.

-275120049 at GPnotebook
Origin, insertion and nerve supply of the muscle at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Anatomy photo:14:st-0405 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center

UpToDate Contents

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1. Calf injuries not involving the Achilles tendon
2. 膝内側側副靱帯損傷 medial collateral ligament injury of the knee

English Journal

Purification and characterization of a gelatinolytic matrix metalloproteinase from the skeletal muscle of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus).

Wu JL, Ge SY, Cai ZX, Liu H, Liu YX, Wang JH, Zhang QQ.SourceInstitute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002, China. Electronic address: wujiul590@126.com.
Food chemistry.Food Chem.2014 Feb 15;145:632-8. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.08.055. Epub 2013 Aug 26.
A gelatinolytic matrix metalloproteinase (gMMP) from grass carp skeletal muscle was purified by 30-70% ammonium sulphate fractionation and a combination of chromatographic steps including ion exchange on DEAE-Sephacel, gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200, and affinity on gelatin-sepharose. The molecul
PMID 24128525

Cloning and characterization of the promoter regions from the parent and paralogous creatine transporter genes.

Ndika JD, Lusink V, Beaubrun C, Kanhai W, Martinez-Munoz C, Jakobs C, Salomons GS.SourceDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Neuroscience Campus, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Gene.Gene.2014 Jan 10;533(2):488-93. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.10.008. Epub 2013 Oct 18.
Interconversion between phosphocreatine and creatine, catalyzed by creatine kinase is crucial in the supply of ATP to tissues with high energy demand. Creatine's importance has been established by its use as an ergogenic aid in sport, as well as the development of intellectual disability in patients
PMID 24144841

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression of myoglobin in Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii), a species with hypoxic tolerance.

Ma L, Shao X, Wang Y, Yang Y, Bai Z, Zhao Y, Jin G, Ga Q, Yang Q, Ge RL.SourceResearch Center for High Altitude Medicine, Qinghai University Medical College, Xining 810001, Qinghai, China.
Gene.Gene.2014 Jan 10;533(2):532-7. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.09.030. Epub 2013 Sep 26.
The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is a hypoxia-tolerant species that lives at an altitude of 4000-5000m above sea level on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Myoglobin is an oxygen-binding cytoplasmic hemoprotein that is abundantly expressed in oxidative skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Numerous s
PMID 24076356

Japanese Journal

臨床室右膝窩動脈捕捉症候群に対して腓腹筋内側頭移行術を施行した1例

大澤克成,赤松泰,熊谷研 [他]
整形外科 63(7), 643-646, 2012-07
NAID 40019361195

臨床室 [ケイ]骨プラトー骨折術後の難治性メチシリン耐性黄色ブドウ球菌感染に対し腓腹筋弁移行術を行い鎮静化した1例

金子達洋,高橋育太郎,長原正静 [他]
整形外科 63(6), 549-552, 2012-06
NAID 40019338974

Related Pictures

★リンクテーブル★

リンク元	「腓腹筋」「gastrocnemial」

「腓腹筋」

Gastrocnemius muscle
Gray's	p.482
Origin	superior to articular surfaces of lateral condyle of femur and medial condyle of femur
Insertion	tendo calcaneus (achilles tendon) into mid-posterior calcaneus
Artery	sural arteries
Nerve	tibial nerve from the sciatic, specifically, nerve roots S1–S2
Actions	plantar flexes foot, flexes knee
Antagonist	Tibialis anterior muscle
	Anatomical terms of muscle