There are so many differences between tendons and ligaments

Tendons and ligaments are parts that are often easily damaged in daily life. Many people are not very clear about the concepts of the two and therefore often confuse them. In fact, tendons and ligaments are different, and there are many differences between them. Let us take a closer look at the differences between tendons and ligaments!

Ligaments are high-density connective tissues that mainly connect bones and are very helpful in maintaining joint stability. For example: knee ligaments. The ligament not only limits the range of motion of the knee joint, but also guides the knee joint to move according to a certain pattern, which is called guidance. The knee joint is the most complex joint in the body, and the structure and function of its ligaments are more complex than those of other joints. Ligament injuries of the knee that are not properly treated often lead to joint instability and loss of control of movement. The clinical manifestations of ligament injury include local swelling and pain, tenderness or joint instability. Pain, instability, and late post-traumatic arthritis are the main sequelae of ligament injuries.

Tendons are also high-density connective tissues that mainly connect bones and muscles and transmit force from muscles to bones or cartilage. Tendons facilitate muscle attachment and fixation. The tendons of a muscle are attached to two or more different bones. It is due to the traction of the tendons that the contraction of the muscle drives the movement of different bones, thus enabling the human body to perform many activities.

Each skeletal muscle is divided into two parts: the belly and the tendon. The belly is composed of muscle fibers, which is red, soft, and has the ability to contract. The tendon is composed of dense connective tissue, which is white and hard and has no ability to contract. Tendons attach skeletal muscles to bones. For example: tendons in the palm of the hand; tendon injury is manifested by the inability to flex the distal interphalangeal joint; if both the deep and superficial flexor tendons of the fingers are ruptured, then both the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints cannot flex, but since the intrinsic muscles of the hand are still intact, the flexion of the metacarpophalangeal joints is not affected. When the extensor tendon is ruptured at different parts, the corresponding joint cannot be extended, and deformed tendon injury repair may occur.

Regarding ligaments and tendons, they have different functions, so they must be treated and understood differently.

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