How are muscles attached to bones to create movement?

Muscles create movement by generating force that is transmitted to bones through tendons, which are strong, fibrous connective tissues.12

The process functions as follows:

• Force Transmission: When skeletal muscle fibers contract, they generate mechanical force. This force is transmitted through layers of connective tissue surrounding the muscle fibers and fascicles to the tendons.2
• Attachment: Tendons are firmly connected to muscle fibers at one end and to the bone at the other. They attach to the bone via collagenous fibers, known as Sharpey fibers, which extend directly into the bone matrix.1
• Leverage and Movement: Because tendons act as the bridge between muscle and bone, the contraction of the muscle pulls on the bone, causing it to move at a joint. Most skeletal movements are facilitated by antagonistic muscle pairs; for example, while one muscle contracts to flex a joint, its counterpart relaxes or extends to allow the movement.3

Beyond transmitting force, tendons also possess elastic properties that can store energy during movement, such as when running, which helps reduce the overall energy cost of physical activity.3