What is the structure and function of a tendon?
The purpose of a tendon is to connect muscle to bone. While the specific structure of a tendon may vary from tendon to tendon, the components are the same. A tendon is primarily made up of collagen fibers, water, and ground substance. It is the components in the ground substance that give the tendon its viscoelastic properties (ability to stretch and return to its original shape). In a resting state, a tendon has a wavy appearance. When the muscle attached to the tendon contracts, the tendon straightens out and becomes tighter. Some tendons are wrapped in synovial sheaths (achilles and biceps tendons). In tendons where a sheath is present, the blood supply for the tendon comes primarily from the synovial sheath. The synovial sheath also contains a very small amount of fluid to help reduce friction between the tendon and sheath while the tendon elongates. As with muscle tissue, a tendon has a structural breaking point. Initially, when stress is applied to the tendon, the tendon will elo
