TENDONS & LIGAMENTSANATOMY I

LIGAMENTS• Add to the mechanical stability of joints

•Guide joint motion

• Prevent excessive motion

Ligaments• Ligaments link bones

together. • Some very common ones

that are damaged are the ones surrounding the knee (the crutiate and medial ligaments)

• Type of connective tissue

LIGAMENTS• TENSION IN LIGAMENTS AND MUSCLES

CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO JOINT STABILITY(ESPECIALLY IN THE KNEE AND SHOULDER)

• LIGAMENT RUPTURE OR STRETCHING CAN RESULT IN ABNORMAL MOTION OF ARTICULATING BONE ENDS

LIGAMENTS• Are responsible for holding joints

together. They prevent bones moving out of position during the stresses of physical activity.

• If they are pulled or twisted too far by extreme physical movements, ligaments can tear andthe joint may dislocate

TENDONS• ANOTHER TYPE OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE• TENDONS TIE MUSCLE ONTO BONE AND

ALLOW THE MUSCLE TO WORK THE BONE AS A LEVER. (ACHILLES TENDON – ATTACHES THE CALF MUSCLE TO THE HEEL BONE. WITHOUT IT, WE COULD NOT WALK)

TENDONS• ANCHOR MUSCLES TO BONES, ALLOWING

THE MUSCLES TO MOVE THE SKELETON. • TENDONS ARE NOT VERY ELASTIC –

IF THEY WERE, THEN THE FORCE PRODUCED BY MUSCLES WOULD BE ABSORBED INSTEAD OF CREATING MOVEMENT.

• TENDONS CAN ALSO BE TORN IF SUBJECTED TO TOO MUCH FORCE

CARTILAGE•Specialized connective tissue

•Rigid, Elastic, Resilient

• RESISTS COMPRESSIONAVASCULAR: nutrients diffuse through matrix

CARTILAGE EMBRYO• MORE PREVALENT THAN IN

ADULT• SKELETON INITIALLY MOSTLY

CARTILAGE• BONE REPLACES CARTILAGE IN

FETAL AND CHILDHOOD PERIODS

LOCATION OF CARTILAGE IN ADULTS• EXTERNAL EAR• NOSE• “ARTICULAR” – COVERING THE

ENDS OF MOST BONES AND MOVABLE JOINTS• “COSTAL” – CONNECTING RIBS

TO STERNUM• LARYNX - VOICE BOX

LOCATION OF CARTILAGE IN ADULTS(CONT’D)

• EPIGLOTTIS – FLAP KEEPING FOOD OUT OF LUNGS

• CARTILAGINOUS RINGS HOLDING OPEN THE AIR TUBES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM (TRACHEA AND BRONCHI)

• INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS• PUBIC SYMPHYSIS• ARTICULAR DISCS SUCH AS

MENISCUS IN KNEE JOINT