Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionTypesInjuries
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Function
Types
Injuries
Ligaments are tough, fibrous connective tissue that connect two adjacent bones and help to keep them stabilized within a joint space. The main job of ligaments is to provide stability to joints and bones throughout the body. In fact, the function of ligaments are reflected in their name, which comes from “ligare”—the Latin word for “bind” or “tie.” When you suffer a ligament injury, you lose stability at the injured site.
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Ligaments appear as crisscross bands that attach bone to bone and help stabilize joints.
Structure
Collagen is strong, flexible, and resistant to damage from pulling or compressing stresses. This allows the ligament to withstand a wide range of forces during movement. Collagen fibers are arranged within parallel bundles to multiply the strength of the individual fibers.
The bundles of collagen that make up most ligaments attach to an outer covering that surrounds all bones called the periosteum. At this attachment site, there may also be an additional lubricating membrane, the synovial membrane, and pouch. Together this forms abursa sac, which provides a cushion for and nutrients to the surrounding bone.
Location
Ligaments are found throughout the body. Some help connect bones at joints, while others help to stabilize two parts of the body and restrict movement between the two, like the ligaments of the womb which keep it in the right position in the pelvis or the ligaments in the bones and forearms that keep them from pulling apart.
Most ligaments are contained around moveable joints, which include:
But some are contained around immovable bones like ribs and the bones that make up the forearm.
Ligaments attach bones to other bones, especially at the joints and allow you to move freely, easily, and without pain. Most ligaments run at different angles to the bone and muscles that they support and provide stability throughout the joints full range of motion.
Types of Ligaments
Ligaments differ based on the anatomical structure they support. Some are stretchy while others are sturdy. No matter the case, ligaments provide stability to organs and bones throughout the body and are integral to maximal range of motion, smooth movements and pain-free mobility.
Knee Ligaments
Elbow Ligaments
The two ligaments of the elbow are the:
These two ligaments work together not only to help stabilize the elbow joint but to also allow you to flex and extend your arm.
Shoulder Ligaments
There are five major shoulder ligaments that keep the shoulder in place and prevent it from dislocating. The five ligaments are contained within the glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joint spaces of the shoulder.
The glenohumeral ligaments help to stabilize the glenohumeral joint which connects the shoulder socket, or glenoid, to the arm bone, or humerus. The glenohumeral ligaments help us to extend our arm from the shoulder blade.
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which is plane joint that connects the upper part of the shoulder blade to the collarbone, or clavicle, and allows for three degrees of freedom, or more simply allows the upper arm to glide in multiple directions. This flexibility also makes the shoulder more prone to injury.
Ankle Ligaments
If you have ever twisted or sprained your ankle, you probably injured your anterior talofibular ligament. This is one of three ligaments that make up the lateral collateral ligament complex (LCL) on the outer portion of the ankle. The other two ligaments are the calcaneofibular and the posterior talofibular ligaments. These ligaments can be damaged if you have a severe sprain or ankle fracture.
Hip Ligaments
The hip contains four major ligaments and is divided into outer capsular ligaments and inner-capsular ligaments. They both assist in the flexion and extension of the hip.
The three capsular ligaments include:
The sole intracapsular ligament is the ligamentum teres (ligament of the head of the femur) that serves as a carrier for the foveal artery, a major blood supply source in babies and young children.
Back Ligaments
There are 7 ligaments that support the spine:
The posterior and anterior longitudinal ligaments are the major contributors to the spine’s stability. Injury to the posterior longitudinal ligament can result in disc herniation, which may render you unable to flex backward without pain.If your back goes out, especially if you suddenly hyperflex or twist your back, you may have injured one or more of these back ligaments.
If you have ever had back pain, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. In fact, back pain due to ligament sprains and strains are one of the leading causes of back pain in the world.
Ligament Injuries
Some of the most common ligament injuries include:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears
An ACL tear was once thought to be a career-ending knee injury for an athlete, but that is no longer the case due to many surgical advances. An ACL tear can lead to:
It may lead to the loss of an entire season or lack of sports participation among young athletes.
It is also associated with long-term clinical sequelae including:
Fortunately, early surgical treatment lessens the risk of long-term sequelae.
Knee sprain
Elbow Sprain
The most common injury to the elbow ligaments is the rupture of the medial collateral ligament. This often happens to athletes who repeatedly throw overhead, such as baseball pitchers, javelin throwers, quarterbacks, tennis, volleyball, and water polo players.
The inside twisting motion on the elbow during the late cocking and early acceleration phases of the movement causes excessive strain on the ligament leading to rupture. The initial presenting sign may be instability of the elbow, although the clinical presentation may vary. You may also feel pain at the elbow joint and experience reduced accuracy and decreased velocity with the affected arm. A significant rupture requires surgical repair.
Hip Dislocation
Ankle sprain
The ankle sprain is one of the most common sports-related injuries, especially in basketball. Pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the ankle may ensue. Initiating the R.I.C.E protocol—which consists of rest, ice, compression, and elevation—has been shown to help reduce swelling and improve the time of recovery.
Other treatments include:
Spinal Ligament Injuries
Spinal ligament injuries most commonly occur after traumatic events like a a car accident. Common causes of spinal ligament injuries include:
Shoulder Ligament Injuries
The three most common shoulder ligament injuries are:
Spraining the ligaments of the AC joint often happens when we fall on an outstretched hand. Trauma to the shoulder, a rotator cuff tear, and dislocation of the shoulder are also common injuries that may damage the AC and glenohumeral joint spaces and the ligaments that support them.
The most common of the three are rotator cuff injuries and while it may happen as a result of a traumatic event, more commonly it develops from wear and tear as you age. Symptoms include:
A Word From Verywell
Ligaments are very important structures to the body, but oftentimes you aren’t aware of the role they play until you suffer an injury. Stretching before exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are two ways to help avoid ligament injuries.
Most ligament injuries can get better on their own or with conservative management like rest, ice, and the use of ibuprofen. If you think you have a ligament sprain or strain, be sure to contact a healthcare professional if the pain is unbearable or there is a visible deformity of the affected area.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hollins LP, Stubbs B.The shoulder: taking the strain during restraint: Managing the risks of restraint.Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2011;18(2):177-184. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2010.01670.xGolanó P, Vega J, de Leeuw PA, et al.Anatomy of the ankle ligaments: a pictorial essay. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2010;18(5):557-569. doi:10.1007/s00167-010-1100-xLoughenbury PR, Wadhwani S, Soames RW.The posterior longitudinal ligament and peridural (Epidural) membrane.Clin Anat. 2006;19(6):487-492. doi:10.1002/ca.20200Frank CB.Ligament structure, physiology and function.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2004;4(2):199-201.Kiapour AM, Murray MM.Basic science of anterior cruciate ligament injury and repair. Bone Joint Res. 2014;3(2):20-31. doi:10.1302/2046-3758.32.2000241Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, van der Doelen BFW, van den Bekerom MP, Dekker R, van Dijk CN, Krips R, Loogman MCM, Ridderikhof ML, Smithuis FF, Stufkens SAS, Verhagen EALM, de Bie RA, Kerkhoffs GMMJ.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Aug;52(15):956. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-098106
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hollins LP, Stubbs B.The shoulder: taking the strain during restraint: Managing the risks of restraint.Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2011;18(2):177-184. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2010.01670.xGolanó P, Vega J, de Leeuw PA, et al.Anatomy of the ankle ligaments: a pictorial essay. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2010;18(5):557-569. doi:10.1007/s00167-010-1100-xLoughenbury PR, Wadhwani S, Soames RW.The posterior longitudinal ligament and peridural (Epidural) membrane.Clin Anat. 2006;19(6):487-492. doi:10.1002/ca.20200Frank CB.Ligament structure, physiology and function.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2004;4(2):199-201.Kiapour AM, Murray MM.Basic science of anterior cruciate ligament injury and repair. Bone Joint Res. 2014;3(2):20-31. doi:10.1302/2046-3758.32.2000241Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, van der Doelen BFW, van den Bekerom MP, Dekker R, van Dijk CN, Krips R, Loogman MCM, Ridderikhof ML, Smithuis FF, Stufkens SAS, Verhagen EALM, de Bie RA, Kerkhoffs GMMJ.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Aug;52(15):956. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-098106
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hollins LP, Stubbs B.The shoulder: taking the strain during restraint: Managing the risks of restraint.Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2011;18(2):177-184. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2010.01670.xGolanó P, Vega J, de Leeuw PA, et al.Anatomy of the ankle ligaments: a pictorial essay. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2010;18(5):557-569. doi:10.1007/s00167-010-1100-xLoughenbury PR, Wadhwani S, Soames RW.The posterior longitudinal ligament and peridural (Epidural) membrane.Clin Anat. 2006;19(6):487-492. doi:10.1002/ca.20200Frank CB.Ligament structure, physiology and function.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2004;4(2):199-201.Kiapour AM, Murray MM.Basic science of anterior cruciate ligament injury and repair. Bone Joint Res. 2014;3(2):20-31. doi:10.1302/2046-3758.32.2000241Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, van der Doelen BFW, van den Bekerom MP, Dekker R, van Dijk CN, Krips R, Loogman MCM, Ridderikhof ML, Smithuis FF, Stufkens SAS, Verhagen EALM, de Bie RA, Kerkhoffs GMMJ.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Aug;52(15):956. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-098106
Hollins LP, Stubbs B.The shoulder: taking the strain during restraint: Managing the risks of restraint.Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2011;18(2):177-184. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2010.01670.x
Golanó P, Vega J, de Leeuw PA, et al.Anatomy of the ankle ligaments: a pictorial essay. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2010;18(5):557-569. doi:10.1007/s00167-010-1100-x
Loughenbury PR, Wadhwani S, Soames RW.The posterior longitudinal ligament and peridural (Epidural) membrane.Clin Anat. 2006;19(6):487-492. doi:10.1002/ca.20200
Frank CB.Ligament structure, physiology and function.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2004;4(2):199-201.
Kiapour AM, Murray MM.Basic science of anterior cruciate ligament injury and repair. Bone Joint Res. 2014;3(2):20-31. doi:10.1302/2046-3758.32.2000241
Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, van der Doelen BFW, van den Bekerom MP, Dekker R, van Dijk CN, Krips R, Loogman MCM, Ridderikhof ML, Smithuis FF, Stufkens SAS, Verhagen EALM, de Bie RA, Kerkhoffs GMMJ.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Aug;52(15):956. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-098106
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