flexor

[New Latin, from Latin flexus, past participle of flectere, to bend.]

A muscle that causes a joint to bend.

A muscle that causes a joint to bend (see flexion).

Any muscle that flexes a joint.

• f. reflex — a spinal reflex in which a painful (pressure) stimulus applied to a toe, coronary band or heel bulb, results in a flexion, or withdrawal, of the leg. A test of the integrity of the reflex arc and sensory pathways. Called also withdrawal reflex.
• f. retinaculum — any bracelet-like band of fibrous tissue on the flexor surface of a joint, e.g. transverse palmar carpal ligament.
• f. spasm — see myoclonus.
• f. tendon — tendons of the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles, situated behind the metacarpal or metatarsal bones.