The Study
Gastrocnemius muscle activation during plantar flexion with different feet positioning in physically active young men
This study looks at how different foot positions affect muscle activity in a small group of young, active men at one point in time. It can show which positions are linked to more muscle activity, but it cannot prove that changing foot position actually causes the muscle to work harder.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Researchers tested how pointing your toes forward, inward, or outward while doing calf raises changes which part of your calf muscle works hardest.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 526 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this shows that simple changes in foot angle can help target specific parts of the calf muscle, which could be useful for balancing muscle development or correcting asymmetries.
- 2Pointing toes outward worked the inner calf more (p < 0.001), while pointing toes inward worked the outer calf more (p = 0.001).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Isokinetics and Exercise Science
Year
2017
Authors
A. J. Marcori, Túlio B. M. A. Moura, V. H. Okazaki
Related Content
Claims (3)
Turning your feet outward while doing calf raises actually works the inner part of your calf muscle more than keeping your feet straight or turned in. This means if you want to specifically build up the inside of your calves, adjusting your foot angle during exercises could help.
Turning your feet inward while doing calf raises targets the outer part of your calf muscle more than keeping them straight or turned out. This means you can use this specific foot position to deliberately work one side of your calf if you want to build it unevenly.
Changing how you point your feet while doing calf raises changes which parts of your calf muscle work the hardest. This means you can easily tweak your workout form to target specific areas of your calves and fix any strength imbalances.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.