Soleus muscle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Jones J, Knipe H, Kumar K, et al. Soleus muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 18 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-6025
Permalink:
rID:
6025
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Ashesh Ishwarlal Ranchod had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Ashesh Ishwarlal Ranchod's current disclosures
Revisions:
11 times, by
8 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Soleus
The soleus muscle is one of the calf muscles (triceps surae) in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg which sits deep to gastrocnemius. It is much bigger than gastrocnemius and is the primary plantar flexor.
Summary
- origin:
- insertion: tendo calcaneus (Achilles tendon) into mid-posterior calcaneus
- action: plantar flexion
- arterial supply: sural arteries
- innervation: tibial nerve (sciatic nerve roots L5 to S2)
- antagonist: tibialis anterior
-
key relationships
- deep to the gastrocnemius
- the popliteal artery and tibial nerve exit the popliteal fossa by passing under the tendinous arch,
Variant anatomy
Accessory soleus muscle is an anatomical variant characterized by an additional distinct muscle encountered along a normal soleus muscle. Its prevalence varies from 0.7% to 5.5%, and it most commonly occurs as a unilateral finding 3.
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 2. Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, A. M. R. Agur. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. (2013) ISBN: 9781451119459 - Google Books
- 3. Sookur P, Naraghi A, Bleakney R, Jalan R, Chan O, White L. Accessory Muscles: Anatomy, Symptoms, and Radiologic Evaluation. Radiographics. 2008;28(2):481-99. doi:10.1148/rg.282075064 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy
- Posterior proximal tibiofibular ligament
- Tibia
- Sciatic nerve motor distribution
- Calcaneus
- Achilles tendon
- Fibula
- Triceps surae muscle
- Peroneal veins
- Accessory soleus muscle
- Superficial posterior compartment of the leg
- Plantaris muscle
- Skeletal muscle
- Posterior tibial veins
- Soleal sling syndrome
- Gastrocnemius muscle
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Muscles of the lower limb
Cases:
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Lower limb
- skeleton of the lower limb
- joints of the lower limb
-
hip joint
- ligaments
- muscles
- additional structures
- hip joint capsule
- zona orbicularis
- iliotibial band
-
hip bursae
- anterior
- iliopsoas bursa (iliopectineal bursa)
- lateral
- subgluteal bursae
- greater trochanteric bursa (subgluteus maximus bursa)
- subgluteus medius bursa
- subgluteus minimus bursa
- gluteofemoral bursa
- subgluteal bursae
- postero-inferior
- anterior
- ossification centers
-
knee joint
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament
- posterior cruciate ligament
- medial collateral ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- meniscofemoral ligament (mnemonic)
-
posterolateral ligamentous complex
- arcuate ligament
- patellar tendon and quadriceps tendon
- anterolateral ligament
- posterior oblique ligament
- oblique popliteal ligament
- medial patellofemoral ligament
- additional structures
- extensor mechanism of the knee
- groove for the popliteus tendon
- knee bursae
- anterior bursae
- medial bursae
- lateral bursae
- posterior bursae
- knee capsule
- lateral patellar retinaculum
- medial patellar retinaculum
- menisci
- pes anserinus (mnemonic)
- ossification centers
- ligaments
- tibiofibular joints
-
ankle joint
- regional anatomy
- medial ankle
- lateral ankle
- anterior ankle
- ligaments
- medial collateral (deltoid) ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- additional structures
- ankle bursae
- ossification centers of the ankle
- variants
- regional anatomy
- foot joints
- subtalar joint
- mid-tarsal (Chopart) joint
-
tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joint
- ligaments
- intermetatarsal joint
- metatarsophalangeal joint
- interphalangeal joint
- ossification centers
-
hip joint
- spaces of the lower limb
-
muscles of the lower limb
- muscles of the pelvic group
- muscles of the thigh
- muscles of the leg
- anterior compartment of the leg
- posterior compartments of the leg
- lateral compartment of the leg
- muscles of the foot
- dorsal muscles
- plantar muscles
- 1st layer
- 2nd layer
- 3rd layer
- 4th layer
- accessory muscles of the lower limb
- accessory gluteal muscles
-
accessory muscles of the ankle
- accessory peroneal muscles
- accessory flexor digitorum longus muscle
- accessory soleus muscle
- peroneocalcaneus internus muscle
- tibiocalcaneus internus muscle
- extensor hallucis capsularis tendon
- anterior fibulocalcaneus muscle
- accessory extensor digiti secundus muscle
- tibioastragalus anticus of Gruber muscle
- vascular supply of the lower limb
- arterial supply of the lower limb
- venous drainage of the lower limb
- innervation of the lower limb
- lymphatic system of the lower limb
- lymphatic pathways
- anteromedial group
- anterolateral group
- posteromedial group
- posterolateral group
- lower limb lymph nodes
- lymphatic pathways
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