Achilles tendon /əkil″ēz/ [Achilles, Greek mythological hero] , the common distal tendon of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of the leg. It is the thickest and strongest tendon in the body and connects the triceps surae to the heel bone. In an adult, it is about 15 cm long. The tendon becomes contracted about 4 cm above the heel and flares out again to insert into the calcaneus. Also called tendo calcaneus.
