Anatom3DMedial head of gastrocnemius
Caput mediale musculi gastrocnemii · Vnitřní hlava dvojhlavého lýtkového svalu
Muscles
Looks like
The inner, larger head of the calf muscle, from the back of the inner thigh bone to the Achilles tendon.
What it does
Points the foot down, lifts the heel and helps bend the knee.
Keeping it well
Tears in sport ('tennis leg'); a swollen calf without injury may be a clot and needs urgent care.
Related conditions
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Botulism
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Compartment syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Frailty & falls in older age
- Growing pains
- Heat exhaustion & heatstroke
- Lymphangitis
- Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
- Lymphoedema
- Malnutrition & refeeding syndrome
- Muscle strain (pulled muscle)
- Muscular dystrophy
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Restless legs syndrome
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Sarcoma
- Sarcopenia
- Superficial thrombophlebitis
- Tetanus
- Varicose veins
- Venomous snakebite