What Is the Gastrocnemius Muscle?

Gastrocnemius: one of the muscles behind the calf. Tightly located under the skin, its sole is the soleus muscle. This muscle starts from the medial and lateral heads from the back of the inner and outer epicondyles of the femur, and meets the soleus muscle 3 downwards, forming a swollen calf belly on the upper part of the calf, continuing down to the Achilles tendon, and stopping at the calcaneal tubercle . This muscle and soleus muscle have a total of 3 heads, so it is also called calf triceps. The calf triceps can flex the plantar flexion (lift the heel); when standing, fix the ankle joint to prevent the body from leaning forward. Innervated by tibial nerve.

Gastrocnemius: one of the muscles behind the calf. Tightly located under the skin, its sole is the soleus muscle. This muscle starts from the medial and lateral heads from the back of the inner and outer epicondyles of the femur, and meets the soleus muscle 3 downwards, forming a swollen calf belly on the upper part of the calf, continuing down to the Achilles tendon, and stopping at the calcaneal tubercle . This muscle and soleus muscle have a total of 3 heads, so it is also called calf triceps. The calf triceps can flex the plantar flexion (lift the heel); when standing, fix the ankle joint to prevent the body from leaning forward. Innervated by tibial nerve.

Chinese name

Gastrocnemius

Foreign name

Gastrocnemius muscle

Department

Superficial muscles behind the calf

Features

Plays an important role in human uprightness and walking

Gastrocnemius Overview

The gastrocnemius is a superficial group of muscles on the back of the calf. There are two inner and outer heads, the medial head starts from a triangular bulge on the medial condyle of the femur, the lateral head starts from the proximal end of the lateral femoral condyle, and there is a synovial capsule on the deep side of the two heads. The gastrocnemius muscle has an enlarged abdomen, which is adjacent to each other at the inferior corner of the popliteal fossa, and the angle formed is mostly 25 ° -30 °. This muscle descends with the soleus muscle and moves to the Achilles tendon, which stops at the calcaneal tubercle. The gastrocnemius artery originates from the iliac artery, the vein and the artery, and is injected into the iliac vein or saphenous vein. The nerves of the gastrocnemius muscle all come from the tibial nerve. Including medial and lateral muscle nerves. The gastrocnemius muscle can lift the heel up when walking and standing. When standing, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles participate in strengthening the knee joint and adjust the position of the calf and foot. For anterior tibial skin defects or deep sinus tracts and scars, the myocutaneous flap formed by the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle and its skin surface can be rotated forward. The gastrocnemius muscle can also affect the longitudinal arch of the foot. When the muscle is paralyzed or atrophied, the longitudinal arch of the foot will deepen. This muscle is innervated by the tibial nerve. When the femoral condyle is fractured, the distal end of the gastrocnemius muscle is often displaced from the back.

The gastrocnemius is a muscle behind the tibia and fibula. 1922 Yuan Fei's "General Therapy for Gastrointestinal Diseases", third edition: "There is mucus in the stool but water, and gastrocnemius pain."

Gastrocnemius: Gastrocnemius is often used as a donor nerve in nerve transplants. It has several advantages: easy surgical interception; at the same time, the loss of function is almost zero compared to the value of transplantation; in addition, because the sural nerve is accompanied by a branch of the sural artery or moon artery, it comes from the peroneal The transplanted section of the enteric nerve can be vascularized. The gastrocnemius nerve descends between the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle and is shallow on the far side of the calf. Sometimes the nerve walks in the fiber channel before breaking out of the fascia. The gastrocnemius nerve runs down the lateral border of the Achilles tendon, bypassing the lateral malleolus, and sends out several branches to control the outside of the foot. In the superficial place, the small saphenous vein accompanies it. Usually the gastrocnemius nerve in the distal sural nerve starts from the common peroneal nerve near the fibula head. It is connected to the distal gastrocnemius muscle. The gastrocnemius nerve branch may not be connected to the gastrocnemius nerve, but in the calf. The posterolateral side descends to the ankle.

Gastrocnemius skin flap: The gastrocnemius muscle is divided into the medial head and the lateral head. The main blood supply artery is the nourishing artery of the medial or lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle divided by the peroneal artery. Pedicle transfer is suitable for repairing large-area soft tissue defects caused by anterior ipsilateral calf, knee or various reasons; used for repairing deep defect remaining after removal of chronic osteomyelitis of ipsilateral tibia; anastomotic flap Soft tissue defects in the contralateral lower limbs or other distant sites.

Gastrocnemius Anatomy

The gastrocnemius muscle is located under the skin behind the calf, and on the surface of the soleus muscle, there are two heads: the lateral head from the femoral epicondyle; the medial head is higher from the femoral epicondyle. The muscle bundles of the two heads are downward, about each other around the middle of the calf, and migrate to the thicker aponeurosis. This aponeurosis and the deep soleus myofascial membrane tend to form a thick calcanean tendon. ) Stop at the calcaneal tuberosity. This muscle contracts and, when nearly fixed, causes calf flexion and plantar flexion. For distal fixation, pull the lower end of the femur and the lower leg backwards to straighten the knee joint.

The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles form the triceps of the calf, which is one of the main muscles to maintain the human body upright. In walking, running, and jumping, it plays an important role in flexing the foot. The gastrocnemius muscle is innervated by the tibial nerve.

Gastrocnemius and gastrocnemius-related diseases and their clinical treatment

Gastrocnemius gastrocnemius spasm

[Summary] Gastrocnemius spasm refers to gastrocnemius spasm caused by cold or sudden changes in posture on one or both calves, and local pain cannot move. Commonly known as "twisting" and "calf cramps" are the most common types of painful muscle spasms.

Gastrocnemius spasm belongs to the category of "bi syndrome" and "pain" in traditional Chinese medicine. Gastrocnemius spasm refers to a motor system disease of transient calf gastrocnemius spasm, which is common in the elderly, pregnant women and athletes. The disease is mainly caused by cold stimulation, varicose veins of the lower limbs, excessive weight climbing, excessive temperature differences during swimming, diving, and strenuous activities, decreased blood calcium, and random dysfunction of calf muscles, which cause stress gastrocnemius spasm. The main clinical manifestations are sudden onset, sudden leg cramps, stiffness, pain, and inability to flex and stretch, especially at night. Lighter people can stretch their lower limbs, press down on the heels or massage, and can relieve them. In severe cases, the lower extremities are mild. Swelling, chills, fever, dizziness, and tiredness.

Traditional Chinese medicine for this disease is called "leg cramps" and "foot cramps" and belongs to the category of "spasmodic syndrome". Chinese medicine believes that this disease is mostly due to insufficient air conditioning, liver and kidney yin deficiency or liver blood deficiency, tendons and veins to lose nutrition, or travel long distances, sudden stimulation, causing relaxation and relaxation of the muscles, and the cold and dampness. Stagnation of the meridian, obstruction of qi and blood, or malnutrition or improper exercise. Clinical types include liver and kidney yin deficiency syndrome, liver and blood deficiency syndrome, and cold and dampness syndrome. Treatment is based on tonifying the liver and kidney, nourishing the liver and softening the liver, dispersing cold and dehumidifying, warming the meridians, activating the blood, and relieving the pain and spasm. .

[Acupoint] Chengshan.

[Method] The patient was placed on his stomach and his lower limbs were straightened. The patient's Chengshan acupoint was disinfected with 2% iodine and 75% alcohol was used to remove iodine. Take a special fire needle (tungsten-manganese alloy needle) with a diameter of 0.4 mm, burn it on the alcohol lamp until it turns red and white, and use the rapid puncture method to quickly pierce the needle by 0.5 inches at the acupuncture point. Times, once every other day. It usually works once.

[Information] The disease is mostly caused by cold and cold stimulation, which causes the cold chill between the muscles and bones. Followed by labor or exercise seizures, lower limb varicose veins blood flow disorders can also cause gastrocnemius spasm. The attack lasts for a few minutes during a mild attack, lasts for more than ten minutes during a severe attack, and occurs several times a day. The fire needle Chengshan acupoint can warm and disperse cold, promote blood circulation, and improve the local blood supply, and the spasm can disappear. The author believes that fire needle therapy is very critical in the operation of the needle. After the needle is red, it must be burned on the fire until the needle is red and white before it can be quickly pierced into the acupuncture point. In order to achieve good results, the alcohol lamp for needle burning should be as close as possible to the pre-treatment point. After the needle can be disinfected with a dry cotton ball to cover the needling site to prevent infection.

This disease is a more common clinical disease, usually an acute onset. Generally, the muscles are stretched and relaxed after proper rest and traction spasm. After a few minutes, the situation can be relieved. The symptoms are severe or repeated. The author can use Chinese medicine. , Acupuncture, massage, physical therapy combined with calcium and vitamins. When calf gastrocnemius occurs, the patient should lie supine or supine, with his feet resting against the abdomen of the traction person, and use the moderate strength of the traction person's torso forward to slowly extend the patient's foot back (if flexion occurs). Muscle and toe flexor spasm, forcefully stretch the feet and toes, but do not use violence) to lengthen the gastrocnemius muscles, pay attention to slow, uniform and continuous when pulling force. If calf muscle spasm occurs during swimming, you must first keep calm and don't panic, then take a breath, lie on your back, hold the spasm toes with the spasm limb on the opposite side, and pull firmly toward the body, pressing with your other hand Stay on the knees of the spastic limbs to help straighten the knee joints to relieve the gastrocnemius muscle spasm. If it doesn't work at one time, you can do it continuously and repeatedly. If it still doesn't work, or the gastrocnemius muscles on both sides are at the same time, you should call for help immediately. If gastrocnemius spasm suddenly occurs during sleep at night, you don't need to panic. You can accompany the affected toe or the edge of the bed, stretch the ankle on the affected side, and give the gastrocnemius muscle a passive pulling force to relieve the gastrocnemius muscle spasm, and then perform the gastrocnemius self-massage. It has a good effect on relieving calf spasms, muscle stiffness, and severe pain. Sometimes it can even be cured by hand. In addition, when muscle spasm occurs during exercise, it can also be combined with local massage such as repetitive rubbing, kneading, pressing, throbbing Chengshan, Yongquan, and middle acupoints to eliminate or reduce the symptoms of spasm. Attention should always be paid to the prevention of this disease. Pregnant women and the elderly should appropriately supplement calcium and vitamin B1, comprehensively strengthen physical training, improve physical fitness, and enhance gastrocnemius muscle strength and physical flexibility. For sports patients, you should make adequate preparations before exercising and massage the gastrocnemius muscles. During winter exercise, you must keep warm. Wet the whole body with cold water before swimming to improve the body's ability to adapt to cold water stimulation. , If the water temperature is low, swimming time should not be too long, let alone stop exercise in the water. Do not participate in strenuous exercise during hunger and fatigue to reduce the incidence of sports injuries and muscle spasms.

Charc-Maric-Tooth Gastrocnemius Charc-Maric-Tooth Syndrome

Also known as progressive neuromuscular atrophy, peroneal muscular atrophy, hereditary neurogenic musculara trophies, Tooth syndrome, progressive peroneal muscular atrohy , Charcoal-Mali-Tuts disease.

This syndrome was named after Charc, Maric and Tooth each reported in 1886. China's Chen Rang and other first reports in 1959 still report from time to time. In 1984, Wen Lidou and others reported that a family of 3 sisters suffered from the disease. In addition to the characteristics of the disease, it was also accompanied by a special type of multi-system damage such as eye symptoms and myocardial damage.

[Cause]

There are obvious familial and polygenic familial hereditary diseases, most of which are autosomal dominant, and also recessive or associated.

pathology

Mainly distal peripheral nerve symmetry, segmental demyelinating and axonal mutation, accompanied by excessive proliferation of Schwann cells and connective tissues, especially the anterior horn of spinal cord with enlarged neck and lumbar enlargement and disappearance of Clarke column cells and spinal cerebellar tract Mild degeneration.

[Clinical manifestations]

More than 20 years of age, the onset of onset, slowly after the onset. The initial atrophy of the peroneus muscles, the two feet can not be dorsiflexion and hang down, you must lift your two feet while walking to form the so-called "upstairs" walking style. Due to the atrophy of the peroneus muscle, the bilateral hoof varus foot was caused by the atrophy of the intergeniolar muscles, resulting in arched and claw-shaped feet. May also have small hand muscles (large and small fish muscles and interosseous muscles) atrophy, gradually spread to the arms, shoulders and so on. It can also be accompanied by optic atrophy, which can evolve into flaccid paralysis of the limbs over time. A few cases have only hand muscle atrophy, which does not invade the lower limbs, tendon reflexes are weakened, and there are perceptual disturbances, paresthesias, and pain at the affected site, but its progress is slower than movement disorders. Skin nutrition disorders, especially in the lower limbs, are common, and lower limb muscle atrophy rarely exceeds one-third of the thighs, so the thighs are "pouring wine bottles." People with progressive tibiofibular muscle atrophy with toe contracture are called Brossard syndrome or Erchhokst progressive muscle atrophy. Generally, patients can live to advanced age, and it is rare that people die directly because of this disease.

Laboratory tests: Cerebrospinal fluid is normal, with occasional slight increase in protein. The electromyography shows that the conduction velocity of motor nerves is decreased, the atrophic muscles are denervated, and muscle tremor and beam tremor can be seen, the amplitude of which is reduced, and large amplitude polyphase potentials can be seen.

diagnosis

According to clinical manifestations, the patient is young and begins with muscular atrophy of both lower extremities. Especially, the atrophy has a special shape like a pour bottle, and the disease progress is slow. The diagnosis is not difficult. However, it must be identified from the following diseases. Progressive spinal muscular atrophy: Onset in adulthood, small muscle atrophy that first occurs in the hand, and no sensory disturbance. Friedreich ataxia: There are also arched feet, but there are nystagmus, ataxia, extensor diaphragmatic reflex, scoliosis, etc., and atrophy of limbs is rare. Polyneuritis: muscle atrophy at the extremities of limbs, gastrocnemius muscle pain and tenderness, socks-like glove-type peripheral sensory disorders are more obvious than gastrocnemius atrophy.

treatment

There are no special therapies, and massage and physical therapy can be done. Exercise can help restore muscle function. Orthopedics can correct walking disorders.