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Achilles Tendon

A tendon attaches muscle to bone. The Achilles tendon, also called the heel cord, attaches the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to the heel bone (calcaneus); it is the largest tendon in the body and withstands a large amount of weight with each foot movement.

The Achilles tendon allows the foot to point downward and enables a person to stand on his or her toes.

Last Revised: July 13, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Barry L. Scurran, DPM - Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery

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