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.