Popliteus muscle the ankle. The gastrocnemius muscle acts on both joints. It originates from the lateral surface of the lateral condyle of femur by a rounded tendon, the fibers pass downward and medially and give insertion to the posterior surface of tibia, above the soleal line. The muscle arises within the capsule of knee joint and its tendon separates the lateral meniscus from the lateral ligament of the joint. Nerve supply is via the tibial nerve from spinal roots L5 and S1. There is sometimes an additional head from the sesamoid bone in the lateral (outer) head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Rarely
Anatomical terms of muscle set of fibers that perform the same function, and are usually supplied by different nerves for different set of fibers. For example, the tongue itself is a composite muscle made up of various components like longitudinal, transverse, horizontal muscles with different parts innervated having different nerve supply. The "insertion" and "origin" of a muscle are the two places where it is anchored, one at each end. The tissue of the attachment is called an "enthesis". The "origin" of a muscle is the bone, typically proximal, which has greater mass and is more stable during a contraction than a muscle's insertion.