Tendon

A tendon (or sinew) is a tough band of tissue that connects muscle to bone. It is built to withstand tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments except that ligaments join one bone to another. Tendons and muscles work together, roughly as follows. When muscles contract, the tendon transmits the pull to the bone.

Anatomy

A tendon connects to a muscle at one end, and to bone at the other end. Each tendon has these two "insertions".

Collagen fibres connect the muscle to the bones. A tendon inserts into bone at one end, and into the muscle at the other end.

Tendons do not create any pulling force of their own. The tendons transfer the force of muscles pulling on the bone. Unlike elastin (another bodily tissue) tendons have very little "give".

Tendons are often connected to joints.

Tendon Media

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  Magnified view of a tendon

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  Ossified tendon from an Edmontosaurus bone bed in Wyoming (Lance Formation)