When it comes to building strength, we often focus on just the muscles. But lurking behind every powerful movement is an unsung network of connective tissues: the ligaments, tendons, and joints that keep our bodies in motion. Whether you’re lifting a barbell, running a mile, or easing into a yoga pose, these behind-the-scenes players are vital to every movement we make, says Jessica Wulke, a sports physical therapist, personal trainer, and implementation manager at Academy Medtech Ventures.
“Ligaments and tendons are types of connective tissue that play essential roles in supporting, anchoring, and connecting various structures in the body,” says Kai-Yu Ho, an associate professor of integrated health sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. If you don’t have stability in these connective tissues, you put yourself at risk for conditions like tendonitis, tears, or joint issues.
But it’s not just athletes who have to worry about joint and connective tissue health; anybody is susceptible, says Wulke. As people age, the risk of tendon injuries, ligament sprains, and chronic joint conditions increases significantly. A 2023 study found that these conditions affect nearly 25 percent of adults.
Understanding how these connective tissues function and adapt is key to keeping them healthy and resilient. Here’s what you need to know.
Why do tendons and ligaments adapt differently from muscles?
Ligaments are fibrous bands that connect bone to bone at the joints, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that links the femur to the tibia in the knee. “They provide stability and help prevent excessive movement of the joint,” Ho says.
Tendons, meanwhile, “are the real drivers of motion,” says John Hinson, an orthopedic surgeon at Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute. They connect muscle to bone—like the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone—and enable movements by transmitting the force generated by muscle contractions to the bones.
(Here’s why double-jointed people are more likely to have health problems.)
One key difference between muscles and connective tissues is how they respond to stress and recover. “In general, connective tissues don’t strengthen in the same way muscles do, but they can adapt to stress by becoming denser and more resilient over time,” says Ho. Tendons, for instance, stiffen in response to mechanical loading, enabling them to handle greater forces. Resistance training can increase collagen content and improve cellular organization, reducing pain and improving resilience.
However, this adaptation process takes time. Unlike muscles, which recover and grow relatively quickly thanks to their rich blood supply, ligaments and tendons are less vascular, making recovery time slower, says Wulke. Pushing too hard too fast—whether by increasing your training load abruptly or engaging in repetitive movements like running—can overstress these tissues, leading to injuries with a high risk of re-injury.
“It’s important to slowly build your way into workout programs,” says Hinson. “You will see people get into a new activity and they get really enthusiastic and they’ll jump right into a routine.”
(This is why mobility should be a key part of your fitness routine.)
Instead, Hinson recommends a well-structured training program that prioritizes gradual progression and recovery to help make your connective tissues and joints more sturdy. “Good controlled strength training is a hugely important way to prevent some of these joint injuries,” says Hinson.
What exercises are best for joint and tendon health?
Two strategic approaches for strengthening tendons are eccentric and isometric exercises—movements that may already be in your training program. Eccentric movements lengthen the muscle under tension, such as lowering into a squat or descending from a calf raise.
Isometric exercises, like planks or lunge holds, require holding a position for an extended period. In these positions, your muscles are firing, but you’re also working on the alignment of the joint and working the tendon to hold that position, says Wulke. Ho adds that while ligaments and joints cannot technically be trained directly like tendons, you can support their health by strengthening the surrounding muscles and encouraging proper movement patterns.
Wulke often programs training days with a mix of goals for her athletes: “high” days for muscle and strength development and “low” days focusing on alignment, isometric holds, and mobility. But most people don’t have enough time to dedicate separate days for joint-specific work. Instead, try integrating these movements into your existing strength training sessions. Consider adding a few sets of isometric holds during your warm-up or as a finisher.
(Is cracking your joints bad for you?)
During your workouts, focus on the eccentric phase of your movements. Slow down and maintain control throughout the exercise to help you ensure proper form. You can also use higher reps and lower weight to reduce the risk of overstressing connective tissues.
Last, Hinson recommends incorporating low-impact exercises such as walking, cycling, Pilates, water aquatics, and yoga. “Taking care of and improving the structures that make the joints stronger and more flexible—it really will pay huge dividends in keeping [people] out of my office and away from injury,” he says.
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