Today we're talking GASTROCNEMIUS one of the more popular lower leg muscles of the "superficial posterior compartment" simply meaning a muscle on the back of the leg that's closer to the surface, not too deep.
Last week we talked SOLEUS, and these two muscles together are called "triceps surae" - the prime movers of plantar flexion (see below) of the foot at the ankle joint
Gastrocnemius Muscle Attachment points:
origin: medial & lateral femoral condyles
((bony bumps at the distal end of the femur (thigh bone) closest to the knee))
insertion: calcaneus via the calcaneus (aka Achilles) tendon
Gastrocnemius Muscle Action(s)
a) Plantarflexion of the foot at the ankle joint
b) flexion of the leg at the knee joint
a) plantarflexion
b) knee flexion
because gastrocs muscle attachments cross the knee joint
more leg muscles to come !
