Tendon

A tendon is dense connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone and transmits the force of muscle contraction. Its collagen-rich structure withstands high tensile loads.

Collagen: A family of structural proteins that gives connective tissues tensile strength. Collagen fibers make tendons strong along the direction of applied force.
Muscle contraction: The process by which muscle generates tension, usually through interactions between actin and myosin. Contraction creates the force that tendons carry to bones.
Tendinopathy: A clinical condition involving tendon pain and impaired function, often associated with altered tendon structure. It is a common umbrella diagnosis for persistent tendon-related problems.
Ligament: Dense connective tissue that connects bone to bone and helps stabilize joints. Unlike a tendon, a ligament primarily links bones rather than transmitting muscle force.
Tenocyte: A mature tendon cell that maintains the tendon’s extracellular matrix. Tenocytes produce and maintain the collagen-rich tissue that gives tendons their structure.
Muscle–tendon unit: The functional combination of a muscle and its connecting tendon or tendons. Its coordinated behavior determines how muscle force reaches the skeleton.
Achilles tendon rupture: A complete or partial tear of the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone. It is a well-studied injury that sharply disrupts force transmission during walking and running.
Aponeurosis: A broad, sheet-like tendon that attaches muscle to bone or other tissues. Its flat sheet form contrasts with the cord-like shape of many tendons.
Extracellular matrix: The network of molecules outside cells that provides structural and biochemical support to tissues. Tendon cells are embedded in this matrix, which carries most of the tissue’s load.
Tendon elasticity: The ability of tendon tissue to deform under load and partly recover when the load is removed. Elastic deformation stores and returns energy during repeated movements.

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