The Soleus: The Muscle Other Than the Calf that Runners Should Be Training

by Dr. Brian McConnell

Calf strength is important for runners, but the muscle that is often overlooked is the soleus. It lies underneath the gastrocnemius muscle, (also known as the calf). Both the gastrocnemius and the soleus need to be strong for propulsion and shock absorption. Many runners feel that running is adequate to strengthen the calf, but adding in some strength training can not only improve performance but can help reduce injury.

For injury prevention you need good strength of the plantar flexors, (the muscles that move the foot downward) a strong achilles tendon, and good motor control, (the ability to move the foot and ankle well). When you add exercises for strength training, they not only strengthen the muscle, but helps strengthen the tendons as well. This is important when it comes to common area of tendonitis like the achilles tendon, or more severe injuries like a rupture of the achilles tendon. Tendonitis can be a long time to resolve and a rupture of the tendon typically requires requires surgery along with a long rehab after. It is equally important to work on the muscle and the tendon when it comes to injury prevention.

Below are some variations of exercises, primarily for the soleus as it can be weaker than the gastrocnemius, and may need some different exercises not only to emphasize the soleus more, but to get you stronger and allow to to progress to some single leg exercises. I recommend single leg exercises for runners as they challenge balance and coordination as well as eliminate the ability for a stronger side to compensate for a weaker side. If you think about running, it is actually a series on single leg hops that keeps you moving forward, not a series of leap frogging forward.

In regards to strengthening tendons, a heavy load and slow controlled motion is required to help stimulate the tendon. The muscle will also respond to this stimulus. Eventually, you may need to move to some more difficult exercises that mimic running in order to train the muscle more specifically for running.

The first two exercises, the Wall Sit Heel Raises and the Standing Soleus Heel Raises are similar, and for some they may seem to be about the same level of challenge or one maybe harder than the other. The key is to find an exercise that allows a good starting point with good control and still challenges the muscle, (causes fatigue), and knowing how to progress to a harder exercise as you get stronger. Once you are able to perform exercises on one leg easily, then adding some weight either in the form of a dumbbell, placing weights or items in a backpack, or holding a heavy item, (some people use cinder blocks) is a way to add more challenge. To begin, 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions, three days a week would be a good start.

Wall Sit Heel Raises: both legs are working together, with the knees at 90 degrees, the gastrocnemius is at a mechanical disadvantage because it crosses above the knee joint, while the soleus does not cross the knee joint.

Standing Soleus Heel Raises: again both legs are working together, and the knees are bent to emphasize the soleus muscle over the gastrocnemius.

Single Leg Soleus Heel Raises, Chair Assisted: This is a nice progression that allows for some help with balance and is a way to bridge the gap between both feet on the floor and only one foot on the floor.

Single Leg Soleus Heel Raises: now the foot on the floor has no assistance from your other leg, you can use the wall with your hands to help with balance.

Single Leg Heel Raise, Chair Assisted: with the knee straight, the gastrocnemius is no longer at a disadvantage. This is a nice bridge between heel raises with both feet on the ground and a single leg heel raise.

Single Leg Heel Raise: (no video on this one), same as above, but without the chair assist, you may use your hands to assist with balance.

Hope this was helpful in giving you some ideas of a good place to start strengthening the lower leg, and learning how to make exercises easier or harder for strength training the lower leg. These exercises are not the end all be all, and by no means specific to you or considered medical advice. I would always recommend be assessed by a licensed Physical Therapist for any injury or painful condition prior to starting an exercise program.

DISCLAIMER:

The material posted is for general information.  Individual advice is recommended and should be obtained with an evaluation or assessment by a physician or physical therapist.