Gastrocnemius
Musculus gastrocnemius
Extends the tarsus and flexes the stifle.
- System
- Muscle
- Region
- Pelvic limb
- Sides
- Paired: left and right
Where it runs from and to
A muscle is told apart from its neighbours by what it takes hold of at each end, which is also what decides what it does when it shortens.
- Origin
- Lateral and medial heads from the supracondylar tuberosities of the caudal femur, each with a fabella.
- Insertion
- Tuber calcanei, through the common calcanean tendon.
- Action
- Extends the tarsus and flexes the stifle.
- Nerve
- Tibial nerve.
Written for Vetomica in its own words from the standard reference anatomy of the dog; the books it was checked against are listed below.
What it works on
Caudal leg; each head contains a sesamoid (fabella).
Bones it takes hold of
- Femur
- Lateral fabella (lateral sesamoid of M. gastrocnemius)
- Medial fabella (medial sesamoid of M. gastrocnemius)
- Calcaneus
Muscles and ligaments it works with
- Flexor digitorum superficialis pes
- Biceps muscle of the thigh
- Semitendinosus
- Semimembranosus
- Popliteus
- Flexor digitorum lateralis
- Gastrocnemius tendon
- Common calcanean tendon
Terminology
- English
- Gastrocnemius
- Latin (NAV)
- Musculus gastrocnemius
- Status
- A valid term in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria
References
Where to read this structure in full, and where the named parts above were read.
- NAV 2017Myologia: musculi membri pelvini
- Miller's Anatomy of the Dog, 5th ed.The Muscular System: muscles of the pelvic limb
- König & LiebichMuscles of the pelvic limb
- Dyce, Sack & WensingThe hindlimb of the carnivores
Read next
- FemurMeets it
- CalcaneusMeets it
- Biceps muscle of the thighSame region
- Caudal crural abductorSame region
- Central tarsal boneSame region
- Cranial tibial muscleSame region
- FibulaSame region
- Gluteus mediusSame region
- Gluteus superficialisSame region
- Long digital extensorSame region
- Long fibular muscleSame region
- PatellaSame region