Unlocking Leg Pain: The Role of Chiropractors in Treating Soleus Muscle Issues
- Julian Simpson
- May 15, 2025
- 4 min read
Unlocking Leg Pain: The Role of Chiropractors in Treating Soleus Muscle Issues
soleus muscle injuries have emerged as a significant concern in sports medicine and rehabilitation
The Soleus muscle is located beneath the gastrocnemius in the calf region, has been overshadowed by more prominent muscle injuries, specifically those involving the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius
What does the Soleus msucle do ?
running, jumping, and other dynamic movements, but also in crucial daily functions such as walking and maintaining postural stability
The soleus muscle is responsible for plantar flexion of the foot and is a single-joint muscle with a predominance of slow-twitch fibers
The soleus muscle constitutes 70% of the total muscle surface of the posterior leg, which has two compartments: deep and superficial
Strains within the soleus muscle often involve the musculotendinous (MTJ) or myofascial (MFJ) junctions
What causes injuries to the Soleus Muscle ?
Proximal medial tendinous sprains account for 56.4% of soleus injuries . Another group of factors is repetitive activities, especially in sports, which can lead to chronic injuries due to muscle fatigue, especially with a flexed knee
How long will injuries to the solues take to recover?
Grade 0: injuries had an average recovery time of 8 days.
Grade 1: injuries took about 17 days.
Grade 2: injuries required about 25 days.
Grade 3: injuries had an average recovery time of 48 days.
Lets discuss different leg conditions and what we can do to investigate
Type of Damage | Symptoms | Additional Information |
Soleus muscle | Pain is felt most in the posterolateral calf. Pain during passive ankle dorsiflexion or resisted ankle plantarflexion with the knee bent [4]. | Ultrasound may not confirm morphological changes; it is necessary to perform MRI |
Tennis leg | Patients often report immediate, intense pain in the calf, typically during activities like running or jumping. Localized swelling and tenderness around the medial gastrocnemius muscle are joint, often accompanied by difficulty in weight-bearing. Increased pain during dorsiflexion of the foot, both actively and passively, is frequently observed, Clinicians may find palpable defects in the muscle, indicating the severity of the injury [6]. | Ultrasound Exams |
Neuropathy | Tibial nerve Sensory Symptoms Patients often report abnormal sensations, such as burning or tingling, particularly in the sole of the foot and the medial malleolus. Pain: Chronic pain can occur, especially in the calf and sole, and is often exacerbated at night. Motor Symptoms Weakness: There may be noticeable weakness in foot flexors, leading to difficulty in plantar flexion and inversion of the ankle Muscle Atrophy: Prolonged nerve damage can result in muscle denervation and atrophy in the affected areas [24] Personal nerve Inability to bend the foot in the dorsum of the foot, difficulty bending the toes. Bird gait (bending the leg at the knee and lifting it, placing the foot on the toes, then on the side of the foot, and finally on the heel [25]. | The most common findings in pathologies of the peroneal nerve were hypoechoic thickenings. |
Achilles tendon | Performing palpation tests and muscle power tests with Thompson’s sign and Matles’ test [17]. | High-resolution ultrasonography is effective in diagnosing Ac |
Venous diseases | Cyanosis occurs, Homans and Mayr symptoms, we perform the Wells scale and Virchow’s triad [27]. | The basic examination is a power Doppler of the veins, which can confirm venous thrombosis and a blood d-dimer test. |
Arterial diseases | Intermittent claudication and pain occur, which are worse on walking and subside with rest. There may be abnormal peripheral pulses and arterial bruits [28]. | We examine using Doppler examination, ankle-brachial index, and angiography |
Lets discuss healing times for different soleus injuries
Injury Type | Prevalence (%) | Common Cause | Typical Recovery Time (Weeks) |
Soleus Strain | 15 | Overuse or sudden increase in activity | 2 |
Soleus Tear | 10 | Trauma or high-force contraction | 4 |
Soleus Tendinopathy | 5 | Repetitive stress and improper biomechanics | 6 |
Partial Tear | 8 | Acute injury with swelling | 3 |
Complete Tear | 2 | Severe trauma or sudden excessive force | 12 |
What Chiropractors can do for solues injury prevention and treatment
First we need to check the biomechanics of the hip , knee and ankle to assess the muscle and joint hygine
Then we can prescribe the appropriate exercise and stregnthening program
In the case of injury we can use
shockwave therapy
Cupping
Dry Needling
Chiropractic adjustments to the ankle knee and hips to allow proper function and flow
For more information about how we can help YOU with your pain and improve your underlying dysfunction so the problem doesn’t come back .
Please call Health Wise Chiropractic 03 9467 7889 or book online to see one of our Chiropractors in Sunbury or Melton/Strathtulloh Today!
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Trybulski R, Gałęziok K, Matuszczyk F, Halski T, Muracki J. Problems in Diagnosis and Treatment of Soleus Muscle Injuries-Narrative Review and Case Report. J Clin Med. 2025 Mar 13;14(6):1955. doi: 10.3390/jcm14061955. PMID: 40142763; PMCID: PMC11943043.
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