Achilles tendon
Also known as calcaneal tendon, tendo calcanei, heel cord, Tendon Achilles
tendon at the back of the lower leg
Key facts
- Location
- Back of the lower leg
- Latin
- tendo calcaneus, tendo Achillis
- Mesh
- D000125
- Ta98
- A04.7.02.048
via Wikipedia infobox
Research
15,243 papers- Achilles Tendon Rupture.Clinics in podiatric medicine and surgery · 2024
- The anatomy of the Achilles tendon.Foot and ankle clinics · 2005
- Functional anatomy, histology and biomechanics of the human Achilles tendon - A comprehensive review.Annals of anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft · 2020
- Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures.Clinics in podiatric medicine and surgery · 2021
- Achilles tendon disorders.
~10 min read
Article
The Achilles tendon, or the 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. 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.
Abnormalities of the Achilles tendon include inflammation (Achilles tendinitis), degeneration, rupture, and becoming embedded with cholesterol deposits (xanthomas).