"To round out a trilogy on the musculoskeletal system, Roy Meals presents a comprehensive celebration of ligaments. This complements Bones, which The Wall Street Journal reviewer described as "a lively, lucid and entertaining tour of bone in health and disease," and Muscle. Ligaments connects far-ranging topics including the history of anatomy, career-ending sports injuries, flat feet, artificial ligaments, Cirque du Soleil gymnasts, massage therapy, and contortionism. Ligaments will appeal to curious readers who thrive on connecting interdisciplinary facts and ideas over broad reaches of time and who want to achieve better overall health through the care and keeping of those bands that bind us together"-- Provided by publisher."A lively tour through the biology, health, human performance, and popular culture of our bodies essential connective tissue.Ligaments are the quiet workhorses of the human body. They anchor our bones, guide our movements, and protect our joints-yet they remain largely unseen and misunderstood. In Ligaments: Appreciating the Bands that Bind Us, orthopedic surgeon and acclaimed science writer Roy A.

Meals explores anatomy, biology, history, health, human performance, and popular culture to unlock the mysteries of ligaments. Completing a trilogy that began with Bones and Muscle, this richly illustrated volume offers a wide-ranging exploration of the anatomy, history, injuries, and cultural relevance of ligaments. These bone-to-bone connectors are the critical linking mechanisms that allow our muscles to produce purposeful movement. Dr. Meals explains how ligaments stabilize the skeleton like hinge pins on a door, resist the forces of gravity in the face and breasts, and contribute to feats of athleticism, contortion, and childbirth. Readers will learn how ligaments are stronger than steel, how they recover from injury (or fail to), and how they can be stretched, stiffened, or surgically replaced. He also clarifies the differences among ligaments, tendons, and fascia, and why some people are "double-jointed" and others are not. Covering current and emerging treatments for ligament injuries, including artificial and engineered ligaments, the book provides practical insights into maintaining joint stability and flexibility across the lifetime.

Whether examining career-ending sports injuries, congenital laxity, or the elasticity of the vocal cords, Dr. Meals builds a case for why ligaments deserve center stage in our understanding of movement and health"-- Provided by publisher.