List of flexors in the body

List of Flexors in the Body

The human body comprises various muscles that enable movement and flexibility. Among these, flexor muscles play a crucial role in bending or flexing parts of the body. This article provides a comprehensive list of flexor muscles, categorized by the body part they primarily affect.

Flexors of the Upper Limb

The upper limb flexors are essential for hand and arm movements, allowing for actions such as gripping, lifting, and writing.

Forearm and Hand

• Flexor carpi radialis: A muscle of the forearm that flexes and abducts the hand at the wrist.
• Flexor carpi ulnaris: Works alongside the flexor carpi radialis to flex the wrist, but also adducts the hand.
• 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 wrist and tenses the palmar fascia.

Upper Arm

• Biceps brachii: Flexes the elbow and supinates the forearm.
• Brachialis: A major flexor of the elbow.

Flexors of the Lower Limb

Lower limb flexors are crucial for walking, running, and maintaining balance.

Thigh

• Iliopsoas: A composite muscle consisting of the psoas major and iliacus muscles, it flexes the hip.
• Sartorius: The longest muscle in the human body, it flexes, abducts, and laterally rotates the thigh.

Leg

• Tibialis anterior: Flexes and inverts the foot.
• Flexor digitorum longus: Flexes the toes and plantar flexes the foot.
• Flexor hallucis longus: Flexes the big toe and assists in plantar flexion of the foot.

Flexors of the Trunk

The trunk flexors are involved in bending and supporting the spine and torso.

• Rectus abdominis: Flexes the lumbar spine, commonly known as the "abs."
• External oblique: Flexes and rotates the trunk.
• Internal oblique: Works with the external oblique to flex and rotate the trunk.

Flexors of the Head and Neck

• Sternocleidomastoid: Flexes the neck and helps with rotation of the head.
• Scalene muscles: Flex and slightly rotate the neck.

See Also

• Muscular system
• Anatomy of the human body
• List of extensors in the body