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Ligament

By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com

Created: June 16, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Definition: A ligament is a structure that connects two bones. The junction of two bones is called a joint. Surrounding the joint are ligaments that hold the bones together, but provide enough flexibility to allow the joint to move.

When a joint is injured, ligaments can be torn. Common ligament injuries include ankle sprains, ACL tears, and shoulder dislocations. People with generally loose ligaments are often called 'double jointed,' and some conditions can cause people to have severely loose ligaments.

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