A ligament is a band of tissue that connects bones and hold various organs in place. Ligaments are found all over the human body. There are three types of ligaments. Peritoneal ligaments, fetal remnant ligaments, and articular ligaments. The peritoneal ligaments is made up of folds of peritoneum. Fetal remnant ligaments are ligaments that are found in very young children. The articular ligaments are ligaments that are found in the joints and connecting bones. Ligaments are slightly elastic; when under tension, they gradually lengthen. This is one reason why dislocated joints must be set as quickly as possible: if the ligaments lengthen too much, then the joint will be weakened, becoming prone to future dislocations. Athletes, gymnasts, dancers, and martial artists perform stretching exercises to lengthen their ligaments, making their joints more supple. The term double-jointed refers to people who have more elastic ligaments, allowing their joints to stretch and contort further. The medical term for describing such double-jointed persons is hyperlaxity and double-jointed is a synonym of hyperlax.
