Tendons usually unite and attach to which structure?

Tendons are fibrous connective tissues that connect muscle to bone, and they typically attach to the periosteum, which is the dense layer of vascular connective tissue that envelops the bones except at the surfaces of the joints. The periosteum serves as an interface that provides an anchoring point for tendons, allowing muscles to exert force on bones to produce movement.

When a muscle contracts, its fibers pull on the tendon attached to it, and since the tendon is anchored to the periosteum, the force is transferred to the bone. This structural relationship is crucial for movement and stability in the musculoskeletal system. Understanding the role of the periosteum in tendon attachment helps clarify the functional dynamics of how muscles and bones work together.