THE ANATOMY AND PATHOLOGY OF TENDONS

Taking into account its detailed morphology, an attempt has been made to explain a tendon's ability to transmit force between its muscular o rigin and skeletal insertion. This ability depends upon the aggregatio n and binding capacity of the molecular elements of type I collagen an d is known to decrease with advancing age. The internal structure of a tendon is modified both at the muscle-tendon junction and near its at tachment to bone. The very low elasticity of tendinous tissue (about 3 % to 8%) is due partly to the texture (pseudoelasticity) and partly to the molecular composition. The so-called degenerative changes in a te ndon begin with deterioration of the internal vascular network and are obviously - so far as its failing capacity is concerned - both initia ted and accelerated by the degree of overloading.