In the calf there is a multifaceted muscle that performs various functions in our body.
It is a muscle little known by people in general, but very topical. And not only because it is essential for us to be able to stand and walk.
The soleus, located in the lower part of the calf, is one of those multifaceted organs that not only keeps us in an upright position, but contains within it two important veins that play a fundamental role in blood circulation.
For this reason it is often called the “second heart”.
What makes it special is its composition, as Dr. Carles Pedret, a specialist at the Faculty of Sports Medicine at the University of Barcelona, Spain, explains to BBC News Mundo, the BBC’s Spanish-language news service .
“First of all, it’s very big,” he says.
“It has a lot of muscle mass. And it’s mostly made up of pure muscle tissue and not as much connective tissue as other muscles,” he adds.
This is related to its function, as you will understand below.
Stability
“The soleus is essential for any activity performed while standing or walking,” explains Dr Marc Hamilton, of the University of Houston, US, to BBC News Mundo.
Depending on their function, the muscles of the body are made up of different types of fibers.
For muscles that maintain the body’s structure, such as those on the inside of the back, which keep the spine straight, the body uses slow-twitch fibers. These are fibers which, although not designed to make sudden movements, have great resistance and can remain contracted for hours with few symptoms of fatigue.
It’s what allows you to stand or walk for long periods of time.
On the other hand, there are the muscles of the hands, legs and arms, which contain fast-acting fibers, that is, fibers that contract and relax almost instantly to perform the movements of which we are capable.
The soleus, as a structural muscle that helps you stay upright, has a broad composition of slow-twitch tissue, making it capable of generating large amounts of energy without tiring.
“The soleus has a large amount of muscle fiber, and the muscle fiber has a building block for energy generation, the mitochondria. Because of the large number of mitochondria, we see that when we stimulate it, it generates a large amount of energy,” explains Pedret.
It is this fiber density that causes this muscle, which represents only 1% of body weight, to have a much greater energy capacity than many other organs in the body.
A pumping system
The soleus also has a very particular function: it helps the heart in its job of pumping blood throughout the body.
“The anatomy of the soleus is different from that of other muscles,” Hámilton explains to BBC News Mundo.
“Inside your calves, there are some large veins that are located within your soleus, and those veins are there for a good reason.”
“If you think about it, gravity causes blood to pool in the calves, ankles and feet. It’s a problem that affects adults, but also young people.”
“However, wise nature positioned these veins within the soleus so that they compress when the muscle contracts. When you compress them, these veins fill and empty and send fluid back to the heart,” he explains.
Basically, with every step you take, you’re pushing blood from your legs to your heart. This system, which also includes several veins in the foot and the gastrocnemius muscle, is known as the popliteal pump.
Good maintenance
Like all muscles in the body, the soleus must work to stay healthy. But, unlike the activities to which we subject fast-fiber muscles, the work of the soleus must be slower and more constant.
For Pedret the ideal is walking:
«Everyone’s tendency is to believe that by strengthening and exercising the soleus muscle a lot, it will be healthier. And, precisely because of its characteristics, this muscle needs something that is a bit the opposite of all this. In other words, what you need is sustained activity, but without stressing yourself out too much.”
“So what he needs is to simply work. You can’t leave him idle. Rest and a sedentary lifestyle hurt him a lot, as does excessive exposure to strength exercises.”
It is the golden rule when it comes to our muscles, which scientists increasingly attribute to the overall good functioning of our body.
“What I always say is that people tend to attribute a good quality of life in old age to good mental health, and that’s absolutely true, but the best quality of life is good muscle tone,” Pedret says.
“In other words, constantly working your muscles offers a wide variety of benefits for maintaining your body properly.”
“Maintaining good muscle activity and good muscle tone makes the entire metabolic system work better. It reduces the risk of diseases. The brain also works better, so there is also less risk of dementia, that is, the quality of mental health improves. “
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
