The soleus muscle and surrounding structures, from Gray's Anatomy. This is a view of the back of the right leg; most of the gastrocnemius muscle has been removed.

The soleus is a powerful muscle in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from just below the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing and walking. It is closely connected to the gastrocnemius muscle and some anatomists consider them to be a single muscle, the triceps surae. Its name is derived from the solefish whose shape it resembles. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (280x900, 76 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (280x900, 76 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Henry Grays Anatomy of the Human Body, commonly known as Grays Anatomy, is an anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on human anatomy. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle is a contractile form of tissue. ... In an extended sense, a leg is any part of an object that supports it off the ground. ... An x-ray of a human knee In human anatomy, the knee is the leg joint connecting the femur and the tibia. ... The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. ... Gastrocnemius The gastrocnemius muscle is a powerful superficial muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). ... The triceps surae a term given by some anatomists to the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles together as they both insert into the calcaneus, the bone of the heel of the human foot, and from the major part of the muscle of the back part of the lower leg (the calf... Genera 100 species in 22 genera The soles are a family (Soleidae) of flatfishes found in both oceans and freshwater, feeding on small crustaceans and other invertebrates. ...

The soleus is located in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. It originates from the posterior (back) surfaces of the head of the fibula and its upper third, as well as the middle third of the internal border of the tibia. Its other end forms a common tendon with the gastrocnemius muscle; this tendon is known as the calcaneal tendon or Achilles tendon and inserts onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus, or heel bone. The fibula (Calf Bone) is a bone placed on the lateral side of the tibia, with which it is connected above and below. ... In human anatomy, the tibia or shin bone is the larger of the two bones in the leg below the knee. ... // Introduction A tendon or sinew is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. ... Posterior view of the foot and leg, showing the Achilles tendon (tendo calcaneus). ... Posterior view of the foot and leg, showing the Achilles tendon (tendo calcaneus). ... The calcaneus is the large bone making up the heel of the human foot. ...

Superficial to the soleus (closer to the skin) is the gastrocnemius muscle. The plantaris muscle and a portion of its tendon run between the two muscles. Deep to it (farther from the skin) is the transverse intermuscular septum, which separates the superficial posterior compartment of the leg from the deep posterior compartment. On the other side of the fascia are the tibialis posterior muscle, the flexor digitorum longus muscle, and the flexor hallucis longus muscle, along with the posterior tibial artery and posterior tibial vein and the tibial nerve. 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 midshaft of the tibia. The action of the calf muscles, including the soleus, is to plantar flex the foot (that is, they increase the angle between the foot and the leg). They are powerful muscles and are vital in walking, running, and dancing. The soleus specifically plays an important role in standing; if not for its constant pull, the body would fall forward. Also, in upright posture, it is responsible for pumping venous blood back into the heart from the periphery, and is often called the peripheral heart or the sural (tricipital) pump [1]. The Tibialis posterior is the most central of all the leg muscles. ... Arteries of the lower limb - posterior view. ... In anatomy, the posterior tibial vein of the lower limb carries blood from the posterior compartment and plantar surface of the foot to the popliteal vein which is forms when it joins with the anterior tibial vein. ... The Tibial Nerve The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus. ...

The soleus is innervated by the tibial nerve, specifically, nerve roots L₅–S₂. The Tibial Nerve The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus. ...

References

• Gray, Henry. Pick, T. Pickering, & Howden, Robert (Eds.) (1995). Gray's Anatomy (15th ed.). New York: Barnes & Noble Books.