What connects bones at the joints?

Ligaments are tough, fibrous connective tissues that play a critical role in connecting bones at the joints. They ensure stability and support while also allowing for a certain degree of movement. By connecting bones together, ligaments contribute to the overall structural integrity of the joint, preventing dislocations and providing guidance for movement.

While tendons are responsible for connecting muscles to bones, and cartilage provides cushioning within joints to facilitate smooth motion, it is specifically the ligaments that form the crucial links between bones. Muscles, on the other hand, play a role in movement by contracting but do not connect bones at the joints. Understanding the distinct functions of these connective tissues is important for grasping how the musculoskeletal system operates.