Your body is designed to withstand many outside forces via a complex network comprised of skin, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. As such, your body is anatomically strong in terms of durability and versatility. Your ligaments and tendons connect bones to other bones and muscles to other muscles to form a secure, sturdy body frame. To do so, these ligaments and tendons must also be strong.
Definitions
A tendon is a fibrous tissue by which a muscle attaches to a bone in your body. A ligament is a fibrous tissue by which a bone attaches to another bone via a joint in your skeleton. Both tissue types are thick, rough and exceptionally strong and flexible. Injuries to either tissue type can be rather debilitating due to their individual function within your anatomic structure.
Tendon
One of the largest tendons in your body is the Achilles tendon, which runs behind your ankle and though your calf muscle. This tendon is responsible for flexing and extending your ankle joint while also assisting in supporting your body weight during standing, walking and running movements. As MayoClinic.com suggests, your Achilles tendon is so strong that it can experience a partial tear and still function relatively normally, albeit with much pain and discomfort. Due to the strength and position of this tendon, a rupture of your Achilles will make it virtually impossible to walk or support any body weight on that leg.
Ligament
Ligaments are also strong tissue connectors in your body and are responsible for further stabilization and functionality. For example, your anterior cruciate ligament is a large ligament located deep in your knee and is responsible limiting the amount of anterior and posterior movement in the knee capsule. This ligament is strong and flexible and allows you to make complex leg movements, especially in the case of an athlete. When ruptured, your knee will become unstable and your ability to walk, run or support body weight will be greatly diminished.
Considerations
You can further strengthen your tendons and ligaments through exercise and building up muscle surrounding each in your body. In addition to your body weight and gravity pulling on tendons and ligaments, these tissues must also withstand much greater forces in both magnitude and direction in order to allow you to maneuver in various positions during the day.
