The Soleus (Soul-eous) Muscle and The Second Heart Beat

by Dr. Loretta Standley - E-RYT500, YACEP, FIAMA

The ‘Soleus Muscle’ is a one of those muscles you will hear me mention a lot in a S-T-R-E-T-C-H class or Yin Class.

I consider the ‘Soleus’ muscle to be so important that I believe your Life literally depends on it. SOUL-EUS

This muscle lies underneath the double-bellied ‘Gastrocnemius’ muscle and runs just below the knee to the heel. It is involved in standing and walking.

The ‘Soleus’ muscle is so closely connected to the gastrocnemius muscle that some anatomists consider both muscles to be a single muscle, calling it the ‘Triceps Surae’ with that being the Lateral and Medial belly of the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus.

The ‘Soleus’ muscle gets its name from the Latin word ‘solea’, meaning ‘sandal’.

Its name is also said to be named ‘Soleus’ because it resembles the ‘Sole’ fish, as it is a muscle that is broad, flat in shape and lays just beneath the gastrocnemius. On dissection, I can tell you it looks just like a ‘Filet of Sole’.

***Now here is why this muscle is so dang important. The output from your heart (cardiac output) is completely dependent on the venous blood returning back to your heart.

Venous = blood in the veins . . . Arterial = blood in the arteries

When you are laying down, there is very little influence of gravity on the blood in your body, so getting enough or adequate venous return is ensured due to low levels of venous pressure. But . . . (and this is a big but) . . . when you are no longer laying down and now you are sitting or standing, the venous blood in your lower limbs STILL HAS TO BE returned to the heart but now against the force of gravity.

Remember, gravity is ALWAYS seeking to pull you to the ground, including the sides of your eyes, the corners of your mouth, your cheeks, your breasts, your butt, your arms (batwings) . . . everything in you and on you is always fighting against the force of gravity, including the blood in your body to get back up to the heart. That’s a long climb for liquid (blood) to travel uphill against gravity. So now we need enough blood ‘pressure’ to get it back to the heart.

To overcome this insane challenge of liquid (blood) traveling up hill against gravity, your body will rely on muscle to pump that venous blood, as well as interstitial fluid, back to your heart. Let’s not forget lymph. Lymphatic fluid has to get back up hill too.

PUMP IT! PUMP IT REAL GOOD

Lucky for us, we have three (3) lower limb muscle pumps - the foot pump, the calf muscle pump, and the thigh pump. The foot pump is the primer to the the calf muscle pump, which provides right at about 3/4 of the fluid return from the lower body back to the heart. The thigh pump will handle the remaining quarter.

Now let’s say you are not moving your body. Meaning you are seated. The muscle pumping needed by you to get that blood headed north will be created pretty much exclusively through the soleus muscle. And that’s IF you choose to engage that muscle and flip your ankle up and down. Your foot pump is doing nothing, just your calf pump (soleus).

Your soleus muscle is a postural muscle that contains large venous sinuses that store blood until there is a contraction in the muscle. Remember, that blood has gravity pushing on it, which has to have enough pressure to run up hill . . back to the heart . . against gravity. So you see how important it is to get that blood moving so that it does not also ‘pool’ and create varicose veins. The body really just wants to move.

Now you can see why the soleus muscles (both sides) are called ‘the second heartbeat’ because they are critical in returning blood back to the heart.

In your upright self, the cardiovascular system should be viewed as a 2-pump system where the cardiac muscle (heart) circulates your blood, and the soleus muscles returns your pooled blood and lymphatic fluid back to your heart.

Let’s just say there is not adequate fluid returned to the heart, well then the cardiac muscle (heart) cannot work effectively. Now we have trouble. Unnecessary trouble. A lot of times, self-induced trouble because we chose not to move. Certainly, there are all kinds of reasons why there could be heart trouble, but why give trouble room to grow?

Needless to say, when the heart cannot pump sufficient blood to provide nutrients and oxygen to all the tissues of the body, this is what results in heart failure.

When there is not enough or adequate fluid returned from the lower body, then we see or experience signs and symptoms such as - joint pain, leg cramps, osteoporosis, poor wound healing, swelling of the ankles, ulcers and varicose veins.

AND THAT’S NOT ALL

If there is insufficient fluid return to the heart, then this creates an even BIGGER problem of lowered cardiac output and blood pressure, and then this leads to - chronic fatigue, weight gain, memory and attention issues. IT’S JUST A MESS! Gosh is it worth it not to get up and walk?

DO YOU SEE WHY SITTING IS SO BAD FOR YOU?

Secondary heart issues are incredibly common. You might wonder how someone could have a bad heart if they are not overweight. There are many reasons why someone could have a bad heart, but the one reason we are talking about here today is the sedentary lifestyle.

If you choose not to move your body, therein lies the problem, which is not pumping that blood up hill. The blood needs some help getting back up north and it needs that pumping action. It needs the second heart beat - soleus muscle.

When our ancestors rested, they squatted. They were in ‘malasana’ and it is this pose that requires extensive soleus muscle action. I’m a Malasana-Lover. Use your blocks ‘til you get there.

Now do you see why we LOVE malasana here at Pose-itively Yoga?

Do you see why we LOVE chair squats (utkatasana) on our tippy toes?

Do you see why we LOVE to tippy-toe from the back of the mat to the front of the mat?

Do you see why we LOVE Virasana (Hero Pose - sitting between your ankles) and why we LOVE Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose - sitting on your heels)?

Do you see why we LOVE Yogi Toe Squat?

There is a method to our madness! Do you now see why yoga is soooooo Good for your body. Even our Gentle Flow class will give you plenty of Soleus muscle Love.

THE SOLEUS MUSCLE IS GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL (SOLE)

One Last Thought With One Last Visual

I always pose to the yogi’s in class, to picture yourself canoeing. When you use the oar, the stroke in the water is backward. And when you push the water backward, the canoe moves forward.

This is the action of the foot pump. The first pump of the foot, is the primer of the second pump, which is the soleus muscle. When you take a step, you push off with the ball of your foot and you are thrust forward.

***Plenty of pictures below as example ——- Newton's Third Law states for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This pertains to walking, running, canoeing, etc., because when you put paddle in the water or your foot on the ground, you are applying a force. The ground or the water applies an equal force on your oar or foot, in the opposite direction thereby pushing you forward.

So Yogi’s . . it is time to get back to your yoga practice and get your body engaged in these poses that will support your heart healthy Lifestyle. Strong feet and strong calves are a wonderful thing.

Yoga is a Lifestyle, first and foremost. When you see Yoga as a Lifestyle, it would be the last thing you cut from your daily regimen during a pandemic and the first thing you plan somewhere in your day. Yoga should be your ‘Daily Habitual Ritual’.

No matter where you practice locally, nationally or globally, your get your ass to class.

Big Love and Stay Groovy~ Loretta