tendon

Function

• a fibrous cord or band of connective tissue that connects a muscle to its bony attachment or other structure

Structure

• tendons are composed of densely arranged, parallel fibers of collagen, rows of elongated fibrocytes, & a minimum of matrix tissue.

Origin

• a tendon may originate at the end of a muscle or run along the side or in the center of a muscle receiving the muscle fibers along its lateral edges

More general terms

• musculoskeletal system structure
• connective tissue

More specific terms

• Achilles/calcaneal/heel tendon (chorda magna, tendo calcaneus)
• aponeurosis
• central tendon of diaphragm (trefoil tendon)
• central tendon of perineum (Savage perineal body)
• conjoint tendon (inguinal falx)
• digastric/intermediate tendon
• extensor digital expansion (extensor aponeurosis, dorsal hood, dorsal expansion)
• Golgi tendon organ
• intermuscular septum
• mesotendon
• pes anserine (hamstring) tendon
• pes anserinus (L. goose's foot)
• pterygomandibular raphe
• synovial sheaths of digits of hand
• tendinous sheath of extensor pollicis longus
• tendinous sheath of flexor pollicis longus (radial bursa)

Additional terms

• tendon rupture
• tendon sheath
• tendonitis (tendon injury)