By Dr. Shellie L. Rosen, PhD, DOM, L.Ac
The lower leg muscles, especially the ‘soleus,’ can boost metabolic health when contracted repeatedly. This muscle helps regulate blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure after meals. Keeping these factors in check promotes overall metabolic fitness.
The best approach is a healthy diet of whole foods and daily exercise. While some turn to herbs, supplements, or drugs for blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure maintenance, your own leg muscles can also serve as a natural resource for support.
The soleus muscle, located in the calf below the knee, can be activated through a seated exercise called a “soleus push-up,” or SPU. Research from the University of Houston shows that targeted activation and sustained contraction of this muscle can greatly improve oxidative metabolism and support better regulation of glucose and lipids after eating. This exercise doesn’t replace walking, running or strength training; it offers a way to turn sedentary sitting time into a chance for muscle metabolic activity.
A 2022 study in iScience (Cell Press) found that the soleus muscle can sustain high oxidative metabolism for hours without fatigue. The metabolic findings were notable: During a glucose challenge, SPU contractions reduced glucose levels after a meal by about 52% and decreased high levels of insulin by 60% compared with sedentary controls.
The study also reported improvements in cholesterol regulation. Hamilton, the creator of the SPU, conducted another 2022 study indicating that only about 4% of energy during prolonged SPU use was derived from soleus stores, implying that circulating glucose and fatty acids were primarily used. Hamilton and colleagues’ Frontiers in Endocrinology review (2025) concluded that specialized soleus activity has meaningful potential to improve systemic glucose and lipid regulation.
Perform the SPU while seated with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep the ball of your foot touching the ground as you press down, engaging and shortening the soleus muscle, which lifts the heel and lower leg. Do these exercises in increments during regular sitting periods, particularly 30-150 minutes after carbohydrate-rich meals, for a total of up to two hours per day.
The SPU helps maintain oxidative muscle metabolism during extended periods of sitting, which are common in modern life. The soleus is often called the “second heart’ because its contractions promote venous return.
If you’re experiencing swelling in your lower legs and feet, incorporating this exercise is crucial. These muscle contractions can enhance lymphatic flow, fluid movement and circulation. The SPU plays a small but vital role in metabolic regulation, especially in managing glucose and lipid levels. It is designed to complement, not replace, more vigorous movement. Abundant blessings.
