Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation: Opus I:
Muscular System, Alphabetical Listing of Muscles, Gastrocnemius and
Soleus
Twelve varieties of the third head of gastrocnemius
Ronald A. Bergman, PhD
Adel K. Afifi, MD, MS
Ryosuke Miyauchi, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

redrawn from Frey, H., 1919
- 1. Origin: Lateral to tibial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: lateral head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 2. Origin: Lateral to tiial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: lateral head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 3. Origin: Lateral to tiial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: lateral head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 4. Origin: Lateral to tibial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: medial head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 5. Origin: Lateral to the popliteal vessels; Insertion: medial
head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 6. Origin: Medial to the tibial nerve and popliteal vein,
lateral to the popliteal artery; Insertion: medial head of
gastrocnemius muscle.
- 7. Origin: Medial to the tibial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: medial head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 8. Origin: Medial to the tibial nerve and popliteal vein,
lateral to the popliteal artery; Insertion: medial head of
gastrocnemius muscle.
- 9. Origin: Medial to the tibial nerve and popliteal artery,
lateral to popliteal vein; Insertion: medial head of gastrocnemius
muscle.
- 10. Origin: Medial to the tibial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: medial head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 11. Origin: Medial to the tibial nerve and popliteal vessels;
Insertion: lateral head of gastrocnemius muscle.
- 12. Origin: Popliteal fossa; Insertion: tendon of
gastrocnemius muscle.
Medial; Medial head of gastrocnemius to the left side. Lateral;
Lateral head of gastrocnemius to the right side.
Note: The neurovascular bundle in the popliteal fossa is, in part
or entirely, potentially vulnerable in types 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11
shown above.
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