Do heel raises build the soleus muscle more than the gastrocnemius in older women?

What we have found so far suggests that this exercise targets the lower leg in a specific way. The deep calf muscle, known as the soleus, appears to respond more to heel raises than the outer calf muscle, called the gastrocnemius ¹. This means the movement does not work the entire calf equally. Instead, it places more focus on the deeper tissue. Our review of the data indicates that older women may see this targeted strengthening effect when they perform heel raises.

We want to be clear that this is a partial view that improves over time. The evidence we have reviewed leans toward this specific muscle response, but we continue to track new findings as they emerge. Not every study looks at the same age group or exercise variations, so our understanding will grow as more data becomes available.

For everyday life, this means heel raises can be a useful tool if you want to focus on the deeper part of your lower leg. You can try doing them slowly and with control to feel the work in that area. Keep in mind that consistency matters more than speed, and adjusting your stance or adding light weight might change how your muscles respond. We will keep updating this summary as more research comes in.