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A tendon and a ligament are both bands of dense connective tissue, but they differ in what they connect and their primary functions:
Tendon
- Connects: Muscle to bone
- Function: Transmits the force generated by a contracting muscle to move the skeleton
- Example: The Achilles tendon attaches calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to the calcaneus (heel bone)
Ligament
- Connects: Bone to bone (or bone to cartilage)
- Function: Stabilizes and supports joints by limiting excessive movement
- Example: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the femur to the tibia within the knee, preventing forward displacement of the tibia
Key distinctions:
- Role in movement: Tendons actively transmit muscle forces; ligaments passively restrain joint motion.
- Tissue properties: Both are strong and fibrous, but tendons tend to be slightly more elastic to absorb the shock of muscle contractions, whereas ligaments have more collagen cross‑links to resist stretching and maintain joint stability.