Calf muscle injuries represent a substantial burden in elite sport, with the soleus muscle accounting for the majority of posterior lower leg pathology. This article synthesizes contemporary evidence on soleus injury epidemiology, biomechanics, and rehabilitation, drawing on recent applied research in elite football and rugby.
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Increased sports participation has resulted in an increased incidence of sports-related injuries. It has become increasingly clear that different sexes present with different injury profiles [1]. For instance, female athletes are more likely to sustain lower extremity injuries than males [2]. The underlying static factors include a wider pelvis, increased hip varus, femoral anteversion, as well as increased knee and external tibial torsion in the female body [2], and dynamic factors include dynamic valgus during landing [2].
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The tendon has to be seen functionally within the muscle-tendon-unit. The tendon has to transmit the force that is produced by the muscle, but acts also as a spring that stores energy. The tendon itself consists of three parts: the tendon-bone insertion, the mid-portion area, and the muscle-tendon junction. The biomechanical properties belong primarily on type I collagen, that degenerates in case of tendinopathy.
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