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Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes01:28

Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes

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The human leg comprises an intricate system of muscles that facilitate the movement of feet and toes. Within this system, the muscles are categorized into the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments, each with a unique set of muscles carrying out specific functions.
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment includes muscles that contribute to the dorsiflexion of the foot. This compartment houses the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles....
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Ankle Joint01:10

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The ankle is formed by the talocrural joint (crural = leg). It consists of the articulations between the talus bone of the foot and the distal ends of the tibia and fibula of the leg. The superior aspect of the talus bone is square-shaped and has three areas of articulation. The top of the talus articulates with the inferior tibia. This is the portion of the ankle joint that carries the body weight between the leg and foot. The sides of the talus are firmly held in position by the articulations...
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Muscles that Move the Leg01:23

Muscles that Move the Leg

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The movement of the legs is facilitated by numerous muscles located within the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments of the thigh.
Anterior Compartment
The quadriceps femoris, the most visible muscle of the anterior compartment, is integral for leg extension and thigh flexion. It is formed by merging four distinct muscles — the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris. The quadriceps tendon, a shared tendon of the four quadriceps muscles, is affixed...
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Actin Treadmilling01:18

Actin Treadmilling

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Actin filaments undergo polymerization and depolymerization from either end. The polymerization and depolymerization rates depend on the cytosolic concentration of free G-actins. The polymerization rate is generally higher at the plus or barbed end, while the depolymerization rate is higher at the minus or pointed end. At a steady state, critical concentration describes the concentration of free G-actin monomers at which the polymerization rate at the plus end is equal to that of the...
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Somatic Spinal Reflexes01:22

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Somatic spinal reflexes are rapid, involuntary muscular responses to external stimuli that involve the somatic musculature and the spinal cord.
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...
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Bones of the Lower Limb: Tibia and Fibula01:10

Bones of the Lower Limb: Tibia and Fibula

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The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg. It is larger than the fibula with which it is paired. The tibia is also the second longest bone in the body and is located right below the skin. The proximal end of the tibia forms the medial and the lateral condyle, which articulates with the condyles of the femur to form the knee joint. Between the articulating surfaces is the irregular elevated area known as the intercondylar eminence that serves as the inferior attachment point for...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Author Spotlight: Integrating Mechanical and Biological Analysis in Tendinopathy Research
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Author Spotlight: Integrating Mechanical and Biological Analysis in Tendinopathy Research

Published on: March 1, 2024

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Ankle and Plantar Flexor Muscle-Tendon Unit Function in Sprinters: A Narrative Review.

Evan D Crotty1, Laura-Anne M Furlong2,3, Andrew J Harrison2

  • 1Sport and Human Performance Research Centre, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. evan.crotty@ul.ie.

Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|November 21, 2023
PubMed
Summary

The ankle joint and plantar flexor muscle-tendon units (MTUs) are crucial for sprinting. Elite sprinters show higher force development, optimizing ankle power for maximum velocity and performance.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Human Movement Science
  • Sports Physiology

Background:

  • Maximal sprinting performance relies on coordinated muscle-tendon unit (MTU) and joint function.
  • The plantar flexor MTU and ankle joint are critical for ground force application during sprinting.
  • Understanding their roles across different sprint phases is key to optimizing performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the contribution of the ankle joint and plantar flexor MTUs during sprint start, acceleration, and maximum velocity phases.
  • To examine musculotendinous properties enhancing plantar flexor MTU performance.
  • To identify factors contributing to elite sprint performance related to ankle and plantar flexor function.

Main Methods:

  • Narrative review of existing literature on sprinting biomechanics.
  • Analysis of the role of the ankle joint and plantar flexor MTUs in different sprint phases.
  • Comparison of physiological and biomechanical characteristics between elite and sub-elite sprinters.

Main Results:

  • The rear leg ankle joint and plantar flexor MTU's stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) are vital for sprint starts.
  • Elite sprinters exhibit higher rate of force development (RFD) and horizontal block power, transferred via the ankle.
  • During acceleration, the ankle and plantar flexor MTU are critical, with distinct roles for soleus (support) and gastrocnemius (propulsion/support).
  • At maximum velocity, the ankle joint dissipates energy but is essential for transferring power to the ground.

Conclusions:

  • The ankle joint and plantar flexor MTUs are indispensable throughout all sprinting phases.
  • Elite sprinters possess superior RFD and power transfer capabilities through the ankle.
  • Optimal plantar flexor MTU characteristics, potentially influenced by footwear and technique, are crucial for peak performance.