Tendons vs ligaments

While both tendons and ligaments are made of collagen
cells, that’s where the similarity ends. Ligaments are
the tough connective tissues that link bone to bone by a
joint and provide shock absorbency. They are strong
and fl exible bands of tissue but cannot be stretched. An
overstretched ligament results in a sprain as
experienced during whiplash.
Tendons, meanwhile, are the whitish fi brous cords
that link one end of a muscle to a bone or other structure.

Tendons look white as, unlike muscles, they
don’t contain many blood vessels.
A damaged ligament can often be surgically
reattached to a joint bone, with mobility returning
relatively quickly. A tendon, however, is part of the
neuromuscular system and so electrical signals must be
able to pass across the tendon to reach a muscle in order
for it to react. Treatment typically involves a rest period,
with a support, and then a gradual return to exercise