Origin
Lateral head – lateral condyle of femur.
Medial head – medial condyle of femur.
Insertion
Unites with the tendon of the soleus muscle to form the Achilles tendon, which then inserts into the calcaneus bone.
Blood supply
Sural arteries.
Nerve supply
Tibial nerve.
Action
It helps a person in standing, walking, running and jumping.
Disease/Injury
Spasm may occur in the gastrocnemius muscle which is very painful and is caused due to involuntary contractions and may last for several minutes.
Muscle Exercise
Single leg jump rope can be done to stretch the gastrocnemius muscle. One can also practice ‘downward facing dog position.’
Interesting fact
Activities like hiking, climbing, and playing sports such as football help to strengthen the gastrocnemius muscle.
