tendon

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tendon

tendon tough cord composed of closely packed white fibers of connective tissue that serves to attach muscles to internal structures such as bones or other muscles. Sometimes when the muscle involved is thin and wide, the tendon is not a cord but a thin sheet known as an aponeurosis. The purpose of the tendon in attaching muscle to bone is to enable the power of the muscle to transfer over a distance. For example, when one wants to move a finger, specific muscles in the forearm contract and pull on ligaments that in turn pull the finger bones to produce the desired action.

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tendon

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Â© World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

tendon Strong, flexible band of connective tissue of the protein collagen that joins muscle to bone.

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tendon

A Dictionary of Biology | 2004 | Â© A Dictionary of Biology 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

tendon A thick strand or sheet of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone. Tendons consist of collagen fibres and are therefore inelastic: they ensure that the force exerted by muscular contraction is transmitted to the relevant part of the body to be moved.

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	FDA calls for urgent warning on tendon risks News Wire article from: AP Online; 7/8/2008

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