The Soleus – The Key to Your Running Success?
Up to 56% of regular recreational long distance (>3km) runners will sustain a running-related injury each year. Injuries to the lower leg in long-distance runners are common, with recent research showing that they account for up to 32.2% of all leg injuries. Due to the nature of the muscle, soleus injuries are commonly caused by muscle fatigue and over-training.
Many soleus muscle injuries can be misdiagnosed as gastrocnemius injuries and, as such, ineffectively treated. This can cause long-term disruption to training and performance. As the soleus only crosses the ankle joint, whereas the gastrocnemius crosses both the ankle and knee, it is less susceptible to strain injuries. However, these injuries are possible, and an effective training regime for this muscle can go a long way towards avoiding them.
