56 A JOURNEY INTO YIN YOGA
Ligaments
Ligaments are similar in constitution
to tendons, but their function is to
connect bone to bone, often support-
ing a joint (see figure 4.3). Generally,
ligaments are darker in color and
take various forms, including bands,
chords, and sheets. Also made of
collagen, ligaments are tough and
incredibly strong and provide mechan-
ical reinforcement and stability. One
example of this is the anterior cruciate
ligament which connects the femur to
the tibia at the knee joint. Because of
their high amounts of elastin, the most
flexible ligaments are found in the lumbar spine and neck. It can be tempting
to overarch these flexible areas, but it’s important to avoid this. For example,
in a yoga backbend, you never want to thrust your head back and overstretch
the ligaments in the neck. Instead keep the chin positioned slightly down to
ensure a long neck.Bone
Bone tissue is a dense type of con-
nective tissue that protects organs,
produces red and white blood
cells, stores minerals, and provides
support and structure for the body
(see figure 4.4). Osteoblasts are
cells that build bone tissue. Often
when we think of bones, we think
of an image of a skeleton. These
bones are often depicted as solid
and a whitish color. These are
cortical (compact) bones and are
surrounded by a layer called the
periosteum, which is composed
of fibrous connective tissue. This
fibrous connective tissue is made
up of collagen that intertwines
the periosteum and seamlessly
connects with the ligaments and
tendon. In flat bones, under the
cortical bone tissue, is the trabec-
ular tissue, which is the middle
layer. This type of bone tissue isE7122/Eliot/F04.03/590016/mh-R1Ligaments
of the hipFIGURE 4.3 Ligament.E7122/Eliot/F04.04/598879/pulled-R1Articular surfaceArticular
cartilageEpiphyseal
plateEpiphysisEpiphysisDiaphysis
(shaft)PeriosteumMedullary
cavityArterial
openingCompact
boneCancellous
boneFIGURE 4.4 Bone.