💕We love the soleus, & if you are a runner, you should tool!🐮
Here's why:
1️⃣ It works hard! During running, it performs more than any other muscle, with upwards of 6.7x bodyweight in force performed on each step. (Dorn 2012)
2️⃣ It propels us forward! ➡️The calves are the muscles primarily responsible for moving us forward during running. (Hamner 2013)
3️⃣ Not only does it propel us forward, but it also works harder than any other muscle to propel us UP during a countermovement jump⬆️ (Kipp 2020)
4️⃣ It also plays a significant part in the change of direction in both deceleration & acceleration. (Maniar 2019)
5️⃣ They help the knee: The soleus plays an important role in knee function, & assists the ACL in preventing forward momentum of the knee. For those runners suffering knee pain: neglect the calves at your peril!
6️⃣ Its function is essential for many lower limb injuries, including calf strains, Achilles' tendinopathy, plantar heel pain, ankle sprain & many more!
👋Runners & health professionals, save this post & share the calf love with your friends 🐮
.
.
.
.
#running #itsallinthecalves #calfmuscles #melbournerunners #runnersofinstagram #running #marathon #ultratraining #runningcommunity #trailrunning #marathoner #runhappy #halfmarathon #trailrun #marathontraining #halfmarathoner #runninginjury #longdistancerunner #kneepain #runningaustralia #achilles #calfstrain #physio #osteo #podiatry #chiropractic #sportsphysio #sportschiro #sportspodiatry #physicaltherapy
📚References
Dorn, T. W., et al. (2012). "Muscular strategy shift in human running: dependence of running speed on hip and ankle muscle performance." J Exp Biol 215(Pt 11): 1944-1956.
Hamner, S. R., et al. (2010). "Muscle contributions to propulsion and support during running." J Biomech 43(14): 2709-2716.
Kipp, K. and H. Kim (2020). "Relative contributions and capacities of lower extremity muscles to accelerate the body’s center of mass during countermovement jumps." Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin: 1-8.
Maniar, N., et al. (2018). "Lower-limb muscle function during sidestep cutting." Journal of biomechanics 82.