If there were no moving components between the individual bones of our body, creating a connection between the segments, the human being would not consist of an orderly structure. In this context, tendons perform quite amazing tasks and accomplish surprising feats.
What are tendons?
Hardly any organ in the human body is as resistant and yet stretchable within a certain limit as tendons. The tendons not only contribute to a morphological unity of the bones and thus to an upright posture. The tendons are also connectors between the muscular cords and the bones. In addition, the tendons at the same time favor the performance of various movement patterns such as sitting, squatting, lying down and stretching. The extensive complex of tendons is divided into different sections. The Latin name for the tendon is tendo-. In medicine, the name lichen is often chosen for tendons.
Anatomy and structure
The anatomical structure of tendons contributes to the fact that there are different shapes. The general structure of tendons is characterized by tight connective tissue in combination with a proportion of supporting tissue, so that the forces of the muscles can be transferred smoothly through the tendons to the bone. In cross-section, the tendons show the intercellular substance located between the tissue cells as well as a whole series of connective tissue fiber strands. These are arranged side by side in the nerves. Between these strands are few nerves and vessels for blood supply. The tendons with the tendon sheath resemble a cut electric cable. Unlike an electrical conductor, the tendons are sheathed by the stratum fibrosum. The tendons are embedded in the so-called tendon sheath and are surrounded by a total of 5 tissue layers. Despite the uniform structure of the tendons, there are flat and narrow as well as wide and extremely strong and round cross-sections of the tendons in the human body. The lengths of tendons also differ from each other.
Functions and tasks
The tendons clearly belong to the holding apparatus and enable the interaction between the musculature and the bones. For this reason, the tendons must have an enormous tensile strength, to be able to meet sometimes high loads. As important connectors, the tendons provide the transmission media of the muscular forces required for human locomotion to the bony areas and
are capable of contracting and relaxing. The tendons are “intermediate pieces” that, as attachment or origin tendons, also provide damping of potential forces on the bones. In this way, the tendons play a very important role in preventing bones from breaking. The tendon sheath‘s gliding ability prevents friction between bony prominences and the adjacent tissue areas of other organs. The tendons are able to act temporarily as a store for kinetic energy. If mobility occurs, the tendons assist by releasing the energy so that the bones and muscles can work. If a period of rest occurs, the tendons contract to a certain limit and await the next stimulus for movement.
Diseases
Quite often, orthopedic specialists have to treat injuries to tendons, which occur as a result of overloading or incorrect loading. As a result of external influences, ruptures (tearing) of the tendons or overstretching occur in particular. The best known tendon injury is the Achilles tendon rupture. Furthermore, other tendons can also be severed if the stresses occur abruptly. Classic acute diseases of tendons in this regard are the ruptures of the biceps and quadriceps and the patellar tendon. A completely different disease that can affect the tendons is inflammation. Typical within this category is tendonitis. This occurs in particularly sensitive tendons. These are located in the ankle joints and wrists. Another disease that also involves the tendons is fibromyalgia. Tendopathies or diseases of the tendons also include the so-called rotator cuff syndrome in the shoulders and epicondylitis humeri radialis and humeri ulnaris. This disease of the tendons affects the elbow in the area of the ulna and radius.As a result, gout can also lead to deposits on the joints, which cause the development of impairment of the tendons.
