Flexion

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Main article: Anatomical terms of motion

In anatomy, flexion is movement whereby bones or other parts of the body, including the trunk, are brought closer together by decreasing the joint angle. The opposite term is extention, or straightening. For example, flexion of the arm involves the forearm being brought closer to the upper arm. Flexion thereby decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at a joint. Another example is dropping the head forward so the chin is tucked to the chest.

In the healing process, for a broken finger or hand bone, the active range of motion exercises, after removal of the cast, should avoid forcing the healing finger in extension or flexion with your other hand. The stress placed on the injury may re-break the bone.

Note that specific flexion activities may occur only along the sagittal plane, i.e. from the forward to backward direction, and not side-to-side direction, which is further discussed in abduction.