Tendons are considered one of the very important parts of the human body despite their small size, so they make the bones in the body move, whether in a state of contraction or relaxation of the muscles, and they may be exposed to damage and injury, especially with age, or in the event of injury, or because of their frequent use. People to follow simple and balanced exercises in order to protect them from damage and health problems, follow us to learn more about tendons and everything related to them.

What are tendons?

Tendons are a very important part of the body because they connect muscles to bones, and thus they allow us to move our limbs, in addition to their role in preventing injury to the muscles of the body, because they absorb the effect of any injury that the muscle may be exposed to during daily movements such as jumping, running, or any other movement.

Tendon shape and composition

It is considered one of the strongest organs in the body, and it is fibrous cords of thick tissue, strong and flexible at the same time in order to allow the members of your body to move, and it is very resistant in terms of tearing, but it is not stretchable, and you may be injured in case of stress, and this takes a lot of time to heal.

The sizes and shapes of tendons differ from one area to another in the body, depending on the size of the muscles that are located next to them and are associated with them. Usually, the widest and shortest tendon is attached to the muscle that performs more powerful movements, while the thinner tendon is attached to the muscles whose movements are more sensitive.

By researching the anatomy of tendons, scientists have shown that tendons contain collagen fibers, in addition to nerves and blood vessels. And the final formation of the tendon shape is like a rope with collagen fibers, these fibers are arranged with each other in the form of bundles, they come together and this is what makes the tendon very strong. The collagen fibers present in the tendon consist of:

• primary packagesThey are small packages.
• secondary packagesThey are groups of sub-vesicles.
• Packages of the third stageThis group contains bundles that make up the chord itself.

As for the strings themselves, they consist of five parts, which are:

The first part is known as Endotenon

Or what is known as the tendon sheath, which is a tissue that surrounds the primary, secondary and tertiary bundles in collagen fibers, this part helps these bundles to slide inside the tendon.

The second part is known as the Epitenon

This part is a thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds the entire tendon.

The third part is Paratenon

It is a layer of connective tissue, but loose, so that the tendon can move against the epitenon tissue, as well as against other tissues that the tendon may touch, but which lie outside the epitenon tissue.

The fourth part is known as Sharpey fibers

These are the collagen fibers that we talked about, and they connect the tendon to the bone.

The fifth part is Sheath (synovium)

It is a synovial membrane, as some tendons of the body, such as those in the foot and hand, contain this membrane in order to protect the tendon as it is considered a protector for it. It produces a lubricating fluid called synovial fluid, which makes the tendon slip easily and meet the bone and muscle.

tendon function

Its function is that in the event of a muscle contraction, the tendons pull the bones connected to these muscles, in order to move freely. We can say that they are like the arms that move the bones of the body in the event of contraction or expansion of the muscles.

Where are the tendons located?

They are found all over the body, as the human body contains thousands of tendons, starting from the head to the toes, and among the most common areas in which they are found:

• elbows.
• shoulders.
• knee.
• heels.
• wrist.

The largest tendon in the body is the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone.

The most common tendon diseases

There are some disorders and health problems that can affect the tendon. These problems increase with age because they become thinner and the blood flow to them decreases, and this is what causes their weakness. As for the most common diseases that affect them, they are:

1. tendon strain, This condition expresses a strained or stressed tendon. It occurs as a result of stretching and tearing the tendon, twisting it or pulling it, and it most often occurs in the tendons of the arm and leg.
2. tendinitis, The most common types of these infections are patellar tendinitis, rotator cuff inflammation, epicondylitis or what is called tennis elbow.
3. tenosynovitis, The most common types of this inflammation are trigger finger and DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis.
4. biceps tendon injury, It is caused by a tiny tear in the tendon.
5. Posterior tibia tendon weakness in the leg, Vulnerable due to tearing, soreness, injury or overuse.
6. Rotator cuff tearIt occurs as a result of the separation of the shoulder tendons from the upper body.

How to maintain tendon health

Some things can help reduce the risks and problems that the tendon is exposed to, including:

1. Exercising, as balanced exercises, strength and flexibility exercises, help a lot and avoid exhausting your body tendons.
2. Be calm and relaxed, especially when tired or stressed, to reduce your exposure to injury.
3. Stop any activity if you feel any pain, and see if the pain will recur again with the perseverance of this activity or not.
4. It’s best to stretch after you exercise, so your tendons don’t hurt and you’re at risk of injury.
5. It is preferable to warm up before any exercise, as this improves blood flow rates in the body and loosens the tendons.
6. Wear comfortable and suitable shoes while exercising, in order to keep your body straight.
7. Taking enough rest and not working on rest days and holidays helps reduce the chances of tendon injury or strain.