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