Leg

The leg is the lower limb of the body that supports the body when
standing and provides the ability to walk, run, jump, and other
movements. The leg extends from the hip joint to the ankle, which
includes the largest bone in the body:
The leg is composed of five sections: upper leg, knee, lower leg, ankle,
and foot.
The upper leg begins at the hip and continues down to the knee. The
sole bone in this region is the femur, the largest bone in the body. The
femurs head creates the ball of the ball-and-socket-style hip joint. The
base of the femur makes up part of the knee.
The major muscles in the upper leg are the hamstrings and quadriceps.
The hamstrings are three muscles at the back of the thigh that affect hip
and knee movement. The quadricepsthe strongest and leanest
muscles in the bodyare a four-muscle group at the front of the thigh
that work to extend the knee and lower leg.
The knee is a complex pivotal hinge joint in the leg that connects the
bones in the upper and lower leg. It is the largest joint in the human
body. The knee is where the femur in the upper leg meets with the tibia
and fibula bones in the lower leg. Another bone, the patella or kneecap,
is at the center of the knee.
The knee joint is composed of numerous tendons, ligaments, and
protective elements, such as cartilage and bursa. These connective and
protective tissues keep the bones in place and prevent them from
grinding against each other while allowing the knee joint to flex and twist
slightly.
The lower leg contains two bones. The tibia is the second largest bone
in the leg. It meets the femur to create the knee. The fibula, the other
bone in the lower leg, is connected to the tibia below the knee joint.
There are about 20 muscles in the lower leg. These do everything from
helping to raise the lower leg to wiggling the toes. Many muscles that
power foot movement begin as high up as the back of the knee and
extend down to the foot.

Possibly the most important structure in the lower leg is the Achilles
tendon. It connects three musclesthe plantaris, calf, and soleusto
the heel bone. It stores the elastic energy needed for running, jumping,
and other physical activity.
The ankle is where the tibia and fibula meet the foot. Containing seven
bones and numerous other structures, the ankle rotates and flexes the
foot, which is important for movement and balance.
The foot is a complex structure made of more than 26 bones and 33
joints at the lowest portion of the leg. The structure of the foot is similar
to that of the hand, but because the foot bears more weight, it is stronger
yet less moveable.

The calf muscle, on the back of the lower leg, is actually made up of two muscles:

The gastrocnemius is the larger calf muscle, forming the bulge visible beneath the skin. The
gastrocnemius has two parts or "heads," which together create its diamond shape.
The soleus is a smaller, flat muscle that lies underneath the gastrocnemius muscle.

The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles taper and merge at the base of the calf muscle. Tough
connective tissue at the bottom of the calf muscle merges with the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon
inserts into the heel bone (calcaneus).
During walking, running, or jumping, the calf muscle pulls the heel up to allow forward movement.