The Ligament Glue
The straps that hold bones together
If tendons are the cables pulling bones, ligaments are the duct tape HOLDING them together. Short, tough bands that lash bone to bone so your joints don't wobble or bend the wrong way.
Ligaments strapping a joint
Real anatomy picture coming soon
Real anatomy photo spot: ligaments crossing and wrapping a joint to hold bones snug
The joint straps
Ligaments criss-cross every joint like the straps on a backpack. Some stop your knee from bending sideways; the ligaments deep inside your knee (the ACL and PCL) stop your shin sliding off your thigh bone. The hip's iliofemoral ligament (Lesson 11) is the strongest in the body.
Sprain = stretched strap
When a joint gets yanked too far, the ligament overstretches or tears. That's a sprain — the joint swells and aches because the strap is damaged. Ligaments also have tiny sensors inside (you'll meet them in Lesson 45!) that tell your brain where the joint is, so a damaged ligament can also make a joint feel wobbly.
Mr. Bones says: I'm a fictional skeleton, not a doctor! This is for learning and fun. If anything hurts, stop and tell a grown-up you trust.
