The outer part of your calf and the deeper calf muscle don’t grow better with either straight-knee or bent-knee calf raises — they respond similarly to both.

Scientific Claim

The lateral gastrocnemius and soleus muscles show no clear preferential hypertrophy response to either straight-leg toe press or seated calf raise exercises in trained young adults after 8 weeks of training, suggesting these regions are less sensitive to knee joint angle variation.

Original Statement

“Regarding the triceps surae, the point estimate favored straight-leg plantar flexion for muscle thickness of the medial gastrocnemius (P = 0.991), with equivocal results observed for the lateral gastrocnemius and soleus.”

From study:Exercise Selection Differentially Influences Lower Body Regional Muscle Development

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

probability

Can suggest probability/likelihood

Assessment Explanation

The claim accurately reflects the study’s 'equivocal results' using neutral language. The Bayesian analysis supports the conclusion that no clear effect exists for these muscles.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Exercise Selection Differentially Influences Lower Body Regional Muscle Development

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

The study found that doing calf exercises with your knee straight or bent didn’t make the outer calf or soleus muscle grow more in either case—so the angle of your knee doesn’t really matter for those muscles.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Exercise Selection Differentially Influences Lower Body Regional Muscle Development

Score: 61

DOI: 10.1007/s42978-024-00299-4

Similar Assertions

Doing calf raises with your knees straight (standing on toes) makes the inner part of your calf muscle grow more than doing them with your knees bent (seated), because the muscle is stretched more.

89%

Pushing a heavy leg press machine makes the outer part of your thigh muscle grow more than doing leg extensions, because it puts more overall stress on that part of the muscle.

78%

Doing leg extensions (kicking your leg out while sitting) makes the front thigh muscle right above your knee grow more than doing leg presses (pushing a heavy platform with both legs).

72%

Squats make the lower part of the outer thigh muscle grow more than leg extensions do, probably because squats involve more hip and knee movement together.

71%