Flexor and Extensor Muscles
Flexors and extensors are two types of skeletal muscles found in the human body. They form a pair of antagonistic muscles that function together to bring out movement at the joints. The flexor muscles functions to contract, pulling the bones closer and thus reducing the angles at the joint, causing flexion whereas extensors contract to pull bones to straighten a joint and thus increase the angle at a joint.
Some common flexor-extensor pairs found in our body are muscles of the biceps and triceps, leg and thigh muscles, muscles at the fingers, etc. Flexors and extensors are the most important muscles that ensure proper regular movement and posture in our day-to-day lives.
What is the Difference Between Flexor and Extensor Muscles?
The difference between flexor and extensor muscles lies in the way they function or the way they bring out a change in the associated body parts. Two types of skeletal muscles play crucial roles in the movement of joints in the human body. Flexor muscles are responsible for bending or decreasing the angle between two bones or body parts at a joint while extensor muscles are responsible for straightening or increasing the angle between two bones or body parts at a joint.
These muscles work in pairs. One example of a flexor-extensor pair is the pair of biceps and triceps in the arm that brings out movement at the elbow joint. In this article, we will read about the difference between flexor and extensor muscles and the similarities, functions of the extensor and flexor muscles, functional significance in daily activities, and injury risks to the flexor and extensors.
Table of Content
- Difference Between Flexor Muscles and Extensor Muscles
- What are Flexor Muscles?
- Functions of Flexor Muscles
- What are Extensor Muscles?
- Functions of Extensor Muscles
- Similarities Between Flexor and Extensor Muscles
- Functional Significance in Daily Activities