Gastrocnemius Strain

Excerpt

The gastrocnemius muscle consists of 2 heads. The medial head originates from the posterior medial femoral condyle while the lateral head arises from the posterior lateral femoral condyle. The gastrocnemius muscle is vulnerable to injury because it crosses 3 joints: the knee, the ankle, and the subtalar joint. The medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle arise from 2 separate proximal attachments on the posterior aspect of the femoral condyles. Distal to the myotendinous junction, the gastrocnemius muscle becomes a flat aponeurosis and coalesces with the soleus aponeurosis to form the Achilles tendon. While Achilles tendon injury is common, injuries over the posterior calf, including the gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, and flexor hallucis longus muscles, are far less prevalent. Proper and timely diagnosis is essential to treat patients with posterior calf injuries. Patients generally recover well if they receive appropriate diagnosis and treatment.