Tendons perform which function in the musculoskeletal system?

• A. Attach muscle to bone
• B. Attach bone to bone
• C. Cushion joints
• D. Carry blood

Answer: (A)

Tendons are the cords that connect muscles to bones, and their primary job is to transmit the force a muscle generates to the skeleton so the joint can move. When a muscle contracts, the tendon pulls on the bone, converting muscular effort into motion at the joint. This is possible because tendons are dense bundles of collagen fibers designed to withstand tension.

They differ from ligaments, which connect bone to bone to stabilize joints, and from cartilage, which cushions joints. Tendons do not function to carry blood as their main role, even though they have a blood supply. So the function that best describes tendons is attaching muscle to bone.