Achilles tendon
Tendon at the back of the lower leg / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Achilles' tendon?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body.[1][2][3][4][5][6][excessive citations] It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (heel) bone. These muscles, acting via the tendon, cause plantar flexion of the foot at the ankle joint, and (except the soleus) flexion at the knee.
Achilles tendon | |
---|---|
Details | |
Location | Back of the lower leg |
Identifiers | |
Latin | tendo calcaneus, tendo Achillis |
MeSH | D000125 |
TA98 | A04.7.02.048 |
TA2 | 2662 |
FMA | 51061 |
Anatomical terminology |
Abnormalities of the Achilles tendon include inflammation (Achilles tendinitis), degeneration, rupture, and becoming embedded with cholesterol deposits (xanthomas).
The Achilles tendon was named in 1693 after the Greek hero Achilles.[7]