List of flexors of the human body

In anatomy, flexor is a muscle that contracts to perform flexion (from the Latin verb flectere, to bend), a movement that decreases the angle between the bones converging at a joint. For example, one's elbow joint flexes when one brings their hand closer to the shoulder, thus decreasing the angle between the upper arm and the forearm.

Flexors

Upper limb

of the humerus bone (the bone in the upper arm) at the shoulder
- Pectoralis major
- Anterior deltoid
- Coracobrachialis
- Biceps brachii
of the forearm at the elbow
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
- Biceps brachii
of carpus (the carpal bones) at the wrist
- flexor carpi radialis
- flexor carpi ulnaris
- palmaris longus
of the hand
- flexor pollicis longus muscle
- flexor pollicis brevis muscle
- flexor digitorum profundus muscle
- flexor digitorum superficialis muscle

Lower limb

Hip

The hip flexors are (in descending order of importance to the action of flexing the hip joint):

Collectively known as the iliopsoas or inner hip muscles:
- Psoas major
- Iliacus muscle
Anterior compartment of thigh
- Rectus femoris (part of the quadriceps muscle group)
- Sartorius
One of the gluteal muscles:
- Tensor fasciae latae
Medial compartment of thigh
- Pectineus
- Adductor longus
- Adductor brevis
- Gracilis

Without the iliopsoas muscles, flexion in sitting position is not possible across the horizontal plane.

Thigh

of thigh at knee (L5-S2)
- Biceps femoris
- Semitendinosus
- Semimembranosus
- Gracilis
- Sartorius
- Gastrocnemius
- Popliteus
- Plantaris (negligible)

of toes
- Posterior compartment of leg
  - Flexor hallucis longus
  - Flexor digitorum longus
- Flexor digitorum brevis
- Quadratus plantae
- Flexor hallucis brevis
- Flexor digiti minimi brevis
of proximal phalanges at metatarsophalangeal joint
- Lumbrical muscle (foot)
- Plantar interossei
- Dorsal interossei