25/01/2026
I was just explaining this to a patient the other day.
Muscle and tendon = contractile tissue, can regain original elasticity after damage
Ligament = non contractile tissue, will not regain original elasticity after injury.
This is why people who have ligament damage from say a
Badly sprained ankle report weak ankles that are much more prone to collapse.
Tendon Vs Ligament ✅
🦴 TENDON
→ Connects muscle to bone
→ Made of dense, parallel collagen fibers (very strong, low elasticity)
→ Transfers force generated by muscle contraction to bone
→ Enables movement at joints
→ Poor blood supply → heals slowly when injured
→ Examples: Achilles tendon, biceps tendon
🦴 LIGAMENT
→ Connects bone to bone
→ Made of collagen fibers with slight elasticity
→ Provides joint stability and alignment
→ Prevents excessive or abnormal joint movement
→ More elastic than tendons, but still strong
→ Examples: ACL, PCL, medial collateral ligament
⭐ KEY DIFFERENCE TO REMEMBER
→ Tendon = Movement (muscle pulls bone)
→ Ligament = Stability (bone holds bone)