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Which muscle called peripheral heart and how it's pump

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calf muscle pump peripheral heart venous return physiology

The calf muscles, especially the soleus muscle, are called the “peripheral heart” or “second heart.”

How the calf muscle pump works

  1. When you walk or move your ankle, calf muscles contract.
  2. They squeeze the deep veins in the calf.
  3. Blood is pushed upward toward the heart.
  4. One-way valves in the veins prevent blood from falling back down due to gravity.
  5. When the muscle relaxes, the veins refill, ready for the next contraction.
So, repeated calf contractions act like a pump that improves venous return, particularly while standing or walking. Poor movement, long sitting, paralysis, or faulty venous valves can reduce this pump action and contribute to leg swelling or varicose veins. This is described in Mulholland and Greenfield's Surgery, under “Normal Venous Physiology” (lines 712-715), and this physiology review explains the role of calf and foot pumps.
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