Editing Ligament (section)

==Articular ligaments ==
[[File:Ligament.jpg|thumb|262x262px|Articular ligament]]
"Ligament" most commonly refers to a band of [[dense regular connective tissue]] bundles made of [[collagen]]ous fibers, with bundles protected by [[dense irregular connective tissue]] sheaths.  Ligaments connect bones to other bones to form [[joint]]s, while [[tendon]]s connect bone to [[muscle]]. Some ligaments limit the mobility of articulations or prevent certain movements altogether.

Capsular ligaments are part of the [[articular capsule]] that surrounds [[synovial joint]]s.  They act as mechanical reinforcements.  Extra-capsular ligaments join in harmony with the other ligaments and provide joint stability.  Intra-capsular ligaments, which are much less common,{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} also provide stability but permit a far larger range of motion.  [[Cruciate ligament]]s are paired ligaments in the form of a cross.<ref>{{cite book
|title=Cunningham's text-book of anatomy
|author=Daniel John Cunningham
|author1-link=Daniel John Cunningham
|publisher=Oxford Press
|year=1918
|edition=5th
|pages=1593
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TdflAHpC8XkC&q=cruciate+ligament&pg=PA346}}</ref>

Ligaments are [[viscoelastic]]. They gradually strain when under tension and return to their original shape when the tension is removed. However, they cannot retain their original shape when extended past a certain point or for a prolonged period of time.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=R.A.|first1=Hauser|last2=E.E.|first2=Dolan|last3=H.J.|first3=Phillips|last4=A.C.|first4=Newlin|last5=R.E.|first5=Moore|last6=B.A.|first6=Woldin|date=2013-01-23|title=Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics|url=https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOREHJ/TOREHJ-6-1.pdf |journal=The Open Rehabilitation Journal|volume=6|issue=1|pages=5 |doi= 10.2174/1874943701306010001 |doi-access=free}}</ref> This is one reason why [[dislocation (medicine)|dislocated]] joints must be set as quickly as possible: if the ligaments lengthen too much, then the joint will be weakened, becoming prone to future dislocations.  [[Athlete]]s, gymnasts, dancers, and martial artists perform stretching exercises to lengthen their ligaments, making their joints more supple.

The term ''[[Hypermobility (joints)|hypermobility]]'' refers to the characteristic of people with more-elastic ligaments, allowing their joints to stretch and contort further; this is sometimes still called ''double-jointedness''.
[[File:Hypermobility-10.jpg|thumb|Hypermobile finger]]

The consequence of a broken ligament can be instability of the joint. Not all broken ligaments need surgery, but, if surgery is needed to stabilise the joint, the broken ligament can be repaired. [[Granulation tissue|Scar tissue]] may prevent this. If it is not possible to fix the broken ligament, other procedures such as the [[Brunelli procedure]] can correct the instability. Instability of a joint can over time lead to wear of the cartilage and eventually to [[osteoarthritis]].

=== Artificial ligaments ===
One of the most often torn ligaments in the body is the [[anterior cruciate ligament]] (ACL). The ACL is one of the ligaments crucial to knee stability and persons who tear their ACL often undergo reconstructive surgery, which can be done through a variety of techniques and materials.  One of these techniques is the replacement of the ligament with an artificial material. [[Artificial ligament]]s are a synthetic material composed of a polymer, such as polyacrylonitrile fiber, [[polypropylene]], PET (polyethylene terephthalate), or polyNaSS poly (sodium styrene sulfonate).<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Lessim S, Migonney V, Thoreux P, Lutomski D, Changotade S |url= https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242018745 |title=PolyNaSS bioactivation of LARS artificial ligament promotes human ligament fibroblast colonisation in vitro|journal=Biomed Mater Eng |volume=23 |issue=4 |date=June 2013 |pages=289–297 |pmid=23798650 |doi=10.3233/BME-130753}}</ref>

=== Examples ===
There are about 900 ligaments in an average adult human body,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ligament |url=https://www.physio-pedia.com/Ligament |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=Physiopedia |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ligament: Anatomy, Function, Sprain |url=https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21604-ligament |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=Cleveland Clinic |language=en}}</ref> of which about 25 are listed here.
{|
|
;Head and neck
* [[Cricothyroid ligament]]
* [[Periodontal ligament]]
* [[Suspensory ligament of the lens]]

;Thorax
* [[Phrenoesophageal ligament]]
* [[Suspensory ligament of the breast]]

;Pelvis
* [[Anterior sacroiliac ligament]]
* [[Posterior sacroiliac ligament]]
* [[Sacrotuberous ligament]]
* [[Sacrospinous ligament]]
* [[Inferior pubic ligament]]
* [[Reflex inguinal ligament]]
* [[Superior pubic ligament]]
* [[Suspensory ligament of the clitoris]]
* [[Suspensory ligament of the penis]]
|width=30|
|valign=top|
;Wrist
* [[Palmar radiocarpal ligament]]
* [[Dorsal radiocarpal ligament]]
* [[Ulnar collateral ligament (wrist)|Ulnar collateral ligament]]
* [[Radial collateral ligament (wrist)|Radial collateral ligament]]
* [[Scapholunate ligament]]

;Knee
* [[Anterior cruciate ligament]] 
* [[Fibular collateral ligament|Lateral collateral ligament]] 
* [[Posterior cruciate ligament]] 
* [[Medial collateral ligament]] 
* [[Cranial cruciate ligament]]&nbsp;— [[quadruped]] equivalent of anterior cruciate ligament
* [[Caudal cruciate ligament]]&nbsp;— [[quadruped]] equivalent of posterior cruciate ligament 
* [[Oblique popliteal ligament]]
* [[Patellar ligament]]
|}