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| Triceps surae | |
|---|---|
 Posterior view of the triceps surae. | |
Dissection video (1 min 40 s) | |
| Details | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtraɪsɛpsˈsjʊəri/ |
| Origin | Distalfemur (gastrocnemius), posteriortibia (soleus) |
| Insertion | Achilles tendon,calcaneus |
| Artery | Posterior tibial artery |
| Nerve | Tibial nerve |
| Actions | Plantarflexion |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus triceps surae |
| TA98 | A04.7.02.043 |
| TA2 | 2656 |
| FMA | 51062 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
Thetriceps surae consists of twomuscles located at thecalf – the two-headedgastrocnemius and thesoleus. These muscles both insert into thecalcaneus, the bone of the heel of the humanfoot, and form the major part of the muscle of the posterior leg, commonly known as thecalf muscle.
The triceps surae is connected to the foot through theAchilles tendon, and has three heads deriving from the two major masses of muscle.[1]
The triceps surae is innervated by thetibial nerve, specifically, nerve roots L5–S2.
Contraction of the triceps surae induceplantar flexion (sagittal plane) and stabilization of the ankle complex in thetransverse plane. Functional activities include primarily movement in thesagittal plane, stabilization during locomotion (walking, running), restraining the body from falling and powerjumping. By controlling the disequilibrium torque, the triceps surae can affect force through the exchange of potential intokinetic energy.[2]
A calfstrain refers to damage to a muscle or its attaching tendons.[3][4] A premature return before recovery is achieved will result in a prolonged recovery or incomplete return to baseline prior to injury.[1] Stretches such as alternating calf raises can improveflexibility as well as mobilize legs before running.[4]
Calf muscles are a common place forfasciculations.
The term is pronounced/ˈtraɪsɛpsˈsjʊəri/. It is from Latincaput andsura meaning "three-headed [muscle] of the calf".
