Flexion and extension movements occur around which axis?

Flexion and extension movements occur around the anteroposterior axis, which runs from the front to the back of the body. This axis allows for movement in a sagittal plane, where flexion decreases the angle between two body parts (for example, bending the elbow) and extension increases that angle (such as straightening the elbow).

In the context of human movement, when a joint flexes or extends, it pivots around this axis, enabling motions such as bending at the hip or knee. Understanding this association between flexion/extension and the anteroposterior axis is essential for personal trainers, as it helps in designing proper exercise programs that align with the mechanics of human movement.

The other axes listed correspond to different types of movements. The longitudinal axis is associated with rotational movements, the mediolateral axis corresponds to movements in the frontal plane such as abduction and adduction, and the transverse axis is linked to movements in the transverse plane. Thus, flexion and extension specifically rely on the anteroposterior axis for their actions.