Tendon- A band of SPECIALIZED fibrous tissue that connects a muscle to the bone

Ligament- A short band of tough, flexible Specialized tissue that connects two bones or holds together a joint

Cartilage DEFINITION: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. JOB: Cushion, and Easy Movement of bone on bone. (3 times more slippery than ice) (A flexible kind of cartilage makes up other parts of the body, such as the larynx and the outside parts of the ears and nose).

Problems of the Muscular System Muscles can weaken Joints, tendons, ligaments, & cartilage can be damaged by injury, illness or disease.

Strain - when a muscle is overstretched Sprain - overstretching or a partial tear of the ligaments or tendons. Atrophy – the muscle shrinks in size due to injury, disease, or lack of use muscle

Tendonitis –inflammation of the tendon a common sports injury from over exercising a muscle. DISEASES OF THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM Osgood-Schlatter disease - inflammation(pain and swelling)of the bone, cartilage, and/or tendon at the top of the shinbone, where the tendon from the kneecap attaches

Muscular dystrophy - an inherited group of diseases that affect the muscles, causing them to weaken and break down over time Most common form in childhood is called Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and it most often affects boys

ALS - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Fibromyalgia - a common and chronic disorder characterized by wide spread pain, tenderness of the muscles, and a number of other symptoms. The word “fibromyalgia” comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek one for muscle (myo) and pain (algia).

difficulty breathing and sometimes death MYASTHENIA GRAVIS - MUSCLES BECOME WEAK AND EASILY FATIGUED,CAUSES DROOPY EYELIDS & DOUBLE VISION Polio is a contagious viral illness that in its most severe form causes paralysis, difficulty breathing and sometimes death

Tetanus - The tetanus toxin affects the site of interaction between the nerve and the muscle that it stimulates("tetanic" or "tonic") contraction or muscle spasms; Often called Lockjaw