What different jobs do tendons and ligaments do?
Around a typical joint, tendons transmit a muscle's pull to bone while ligaments connect bones and help stabilize them. Similar-looking connective tissues therefore contribute to movement in different ways.
Questions you could explore
- How do force transmission and joint stability work together?
Start reading
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine; A.D.A.M. Medical EncyclopediaTendon versus ligament
MedlinePlus distinguishes tendons and ligaments and notes exceptions to the usual muscle-to-bone description.
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