Lower leg

Muscles

• Gastrocnemius

  The two-headed calf muscle nearest the skin, which crosses both the knee and the ankle. How it points the foot, how it strains, how it changes with training, stretching and bed rest, and what it works with.

• Peroneals

  The muscles on the outer side of the lower leg that turn the sole of the foot outward. What each one does, how they work in walking and running, what changes after ankle sprains, and how they respond to training.

• Soleus

  The wide, flat calf muscle under the gastrocnemius that points the foot down. How it holds the body upright, how it strains, how it grows and wastes, and what it works with.

• Tibialis anterior

  The muscle at the front of the shin that lifts the foot. How it is built, what it does in walking and running, how it is hurt, how it ages and trains, and what it works with.

Bones

• Fibula

  The thin outer bone of the lower leg. How little load it carries, how it breaks at the ankle and under repeated stress, how it responds to training and disuse, and what attaches to it.

• Tibia

  The shin bone, the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg. How it carries load, how it breaks down under repeated stress, how bone adapts and heals, and what attaches to it.

Exercises

• Calf raise

  An exercise that works the muscles at the back of the lower leg. What the studies measured it loading, from the calf muscles to the Achilles tendon, and what is known about how tendons adapt.

• Eccentric heel drop

  A calf exercise built around lowering the heel. What studies measured it loading in the Achilles tendon and calf muscles, how knee angle changes the picture, and what one session does to the tendon.

• Pogo hops

  Repeated two-legged hops with nearly straight knees and short ground contacts. What hopping studies measured at the ankle, calf muscles, Achilles tendon and foot, and what hopping programmes changed.

• Running

  Steady distance running. Which muscles studies found doing the work, what models estimate it loads from the foot to the knee, and what reviews found on foot strike, shoes, training load, progression and injury.

• Tibialis raise

  Lifting the front of the foot toward the shin, called dorsiflexion. What lab studies of dorsiflexion training measured, since none tested the wall-supported tibialis raise itself.

Stretches

• Calf stretch

  A stretch that pulls the foot up toward the shin, with the knee straight or bent. What studies measured in the calf muscles, Achilles tendon and ankle, and what trials of calf stretching found.

• Soleus stretch

  A calf stretch done with the knee bent. What studies measured in the soleus, Achilles tendon and ankle in that position, and the studies that stretched this way.

• Standing shin stretch

  A stretch for the front of the shin. No study here that gives its position tested it standing; those stretched the shin lying down or seated, often with the calf. What the studies did and found.

Nerves

• Common fibular nerve

  The nerve that wraps around the outer side of the knee and works the muscles that lift the foot and turn it out. Where it runs, why it is exposed at the fibula, and what studies report about recovery.

• Tibial nerve

  The main nerve of the back of the leg and the sole of the foot. Where it runs, what it supplies, how it slides, where it and its branches get squeezed, and what studies report about recovery.

Conditions

• Calf strain

  An overstretched or torn calf muscle. How consensus statements and reviews describe it, which muscle is injured, who it affects, how long it kept athletes out, and how little has been compared in trials.

• Chronic exertional compartment syndrome

  Exercise pain and tightness in a muscle compartment of the leg or forearm that eases after stopping. How reviews define it, the debate over pressure tests, who studies include, and what studies of surgery and running-style programmes found.

• Medial tibial stress syndrome

  Exercise pain along the inner edge of the shin bone, often called shin splints. How studies define it, the two accounts of its cause, who it affects, how long it lasts, and what trials comparing approaches found.

• Stress fracture

  An overuse injury to bone, from a stress reaction to a crack. How reviews define it, which athletes and recruits were studied, how long return to sport took by site, and what trials found.

Exercises that load this area

Filed under another area, but connected to an entry here.

• Back squat

  A barbell squat. What the studies measured it loading, how bar position, stance and depth shift the work, and how muscles changed with training.

• Box jump

  A jump up and forward onto a box. What the few box jump studies measured at take-off and landing, what jumps from the ground show about the muscles and tendons, and what injury surveys reported.

• Burpee

  A bodyweight move from standing to a squat, a plank and back up, often with a push-up and a jump. What studies measured of its demand, what burpee training trials found, and how thin the evidence on its muscles is.

• Deadlift

  A lift driven by the muscles that straighten the hip, knee and back. What the studies measured it loading, from the back and thigh muscles to the lower spine, and what is known about how the body adapts.

• Decline squat

  A squat, most often on one leg, done on a sloped board. What studies measured it loading, from the patellar tendon to the thigh and calf muscles, and what training and trials in people with patellar tendon pain found.

• Drop landing

  Stepping off a platform and landing, as in drop landings and drop jumps. What studies measured it loading, from the thigh muscles to the knee and ankle ligaments, and what landing tests have and have not predicted.

• Glute bridge hold

  Lying on the back and holding the pelvis up off the floor. What studies measured it working, from the buttock and back of the thigh to the back and abdominal muscles, and how variations shift the work.

• Lunge

  The forward, reverse and walking lunge. What studies measured them loading at the hip and knee, how step length, trunk lean and added weight shift the work, and what training studies found.

• Power clean

  A barbell lift pulled fast from low down to the shoulders. What studies measured it loading, which loads gave the most power, how training with it changed people, and what weightlifting injury studies report.

• Single-leg Romanian deadlift

  A hip hinge done standing on one leg. What the studies measured it working, from the buttock and hamstring muscles to the small muscles that keep the body balanced.

• Sled push

  Driving a weighted sled forward by its handles. What the few pushing studies measured, how pushing differs from towing a sled, and what sled-training studies found on load, surface and speed.

• Split squat

  A squat with the feet fixed in a stride, often with the rear foot raised on a bench. What studies measured at the hip, knee and thigh muscles, how each leg shares the work, and what short training trials found.

• Sprinting

  Running as fast as possible. How a sprint unfolds, which muscles studies found doing the work, what sprint programmes changed, and what studies of sprint exposure and hamstring injury found.

• Step-up

  Stepping up onto a box or bench, one leg at a time. What studies measured it loading, how step height and added weight change the work, and what training with it changed.