List of flexors

List of Flexors

Flexors are a group of muscles that decrease the angle between two bones at a joint, effectively bending the joint. These muscles are crucial for various movements across the human body, including flexing the fingers, bending the elbow, and flexing the knee. This article provides a comprehensive list of flexor muscles, categorized by the body part they are associated with.

Flexors of the Forearm

The flexors of the forearm are primarily responsible for bending the wrist and fingers. They include:

• Flexor carpi radialis: A muscle that flexes and abducts the hand at the wrist.
• Flexor carpi ulnaris: Works to flex and adduct the hand at the wrist.
• Flexor digitorum superficialis: Flexes the middle phalanges of the fingers.
• Flexor digitorum profundus: Flexes the distal phalanges of the fingers.
• Flexor pollicis longus: Flexes the thumb.
• Palmaris longus: A muscle that flexes the hand at the wrist and tightens the palmar aponeurosis.

Flexors of the Hand

The hand contains several flexor muscles that facilitate movement of the fingers and thumb:

• Flexor digiti minimi brevis: Flexes the little finger.
• Flexor pollicis brevis: Flexes the thumb.
• Opponens pollicis: Helps in the opposition of the thumb.

Flexors of the Lower Limb

Flexor muscles in the lower limb are essential for walking, running, and maintaining balance. They include:

• Iliopsoas: A major hip flexor.
• Rectus femoris: Part of the quadriceps group, it flexes the hip and extends the knee.
• Sartorius: The longest muscle in the human body, it flexes both the hip and knee.
• Gracilis: Flexes the knee and helps in hip adduction.
• Tensor fasciae latae: Flexes and abducts the thigh at the hip.

Flexors of the Foot

Flexor muscles in the foot are involved in walking, standing, and various foot movements:

• Flexor hallucis longus: Flexes the big toe and plays a role in maintaining the arch of the foot.
• Flexor digitorum longus: Flexes the toes and helps in plantar flexion of the foot.

See Also

• Muscular system
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• List of extensors