Introduction: The semimembranosus muscle is the most medial of the 3 hamstring muscles in the thigh. It is so called because it has a flat tendon of origin. It is located at posteromedially in the thigh, deep to the semitendinosus muscle. It extends the hip joint & flexes the knee joint. The other three muscles…
What are Hamstring muscles? How are the hamstring muscles structured? The three hamstring muscles are: Biceps femoris, closest to the outside of body. The function of this hamstring is to flex the knee, extend the thigh at hip and rotate lower leg from side-to-side when knee is bent. Semimembranosus, closest to the middle of body….
What is the plantaris injury? Injuries to the plantaris muscle can either occur as a muscle strain or more commonly, a plantaris muscle rupture. Plantaris muscle ruptures have also been called “tennis leg”. A plantaris injury may happen as an isolated injury, in combination with a soleus and gastrocnemius tear, or an ACL injury. Damage…
What is soleus strain? A soleus muscle strain occurs due to muscle fibers are damaged by the loads placed on them by jerky activity. The soleus muscle is injured while the knee is in flexion. Strains of the proximal medial musculotendinous junction are the most general type of soleus muscle injuries. It crosses only the…
What is a gastrocnemius strain? A gastrocnemius strain, also sometimes called “tennis leg”, is an injury to the calf muscle in the back of the leg. It occurs when the gastrocnemius muscle is stretched too far resulting in a partial or total tear or rupture within the muscle. Tennis Leg refers to an acute medial…
Introduction Tennis Leg refers to an acute medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle tear in the older athlete characterized by sudden onset of very severe calf pain and significant disability. The injury is invariably associated with extensive bruising & swelling, & can be mistaken for a deep venous thrombosis. The more common site is the…
Introduction The Plantaris muscle is a small muscle with a short belly and long slender tendon that is located at the back of the leg and along with the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles forms the Triceps Surae. The long, thin tendon of plantaris is nicknamed the freshman’s nerve. While not as thick as the Achilles…
Introduction The triceps surae muscle, made up of the muscles of the calf, is constructed by the soleus, the two-headed (medial & lateral) gastrocnemius, and the plantaris muscles. These muscles insert into the calcaneus, the bone of the heel of the foot, and form the vital part of the muscle of the posterior leg, commonly…
What is a pulled calf muscle? A pulled calf muscle, or a calf muscle strain, happens when the muscles in the calf — the soleus and gastrocnemius — get overstretched. The calf muscles are in the lower leg behind the shin bone and extend from the base of the thigh down to the heel. They…
What is soleus muscle? Soleus muscle is a flat, broad muscle of the calf of the leg lying just beneath the gastrocnemius muscle. It arises from the upper part of the tibia and fibula, the bones of the lower leg, and then attach to the gastrocnemius to attach via the Achilles tendon at the heel….
