Elbow extension is the movement of straightening the arm at the elbow joint, moving your forearm away from your body. It's essentially the opposite of bending your elbow.
Understanding Elbow Extension
Here’s a breakdown of what happens during elbow extension:
- Movement: Your forearm moves away from your body, increasing the angle at the elbow joint.
- Opposite of Flexion: Elbow extension is the direct opposite action of elbow flexion, where the forearm moves toward the body, decreasing the angle at the elbow. As a reference notes, "When your forearm moves toward your body by bending at your elbow, it's called elbow flexion. The opposite movement is called elbow extension."
- Bones Involved: While the reference specifically mentions the bones involved in elbow flexion (humerus, ulna), the same bones participate in elbow extension, as the motion takes place at the same joint.
Practical Insights
Elbow extension is a critical movement for various daily activities, such as:
- Reaching for objects.
- Pushing items.
- Throwing a ball.
- Straightening your arm after a bicep curl.
Examples of Elbow Extension
Here are a few examples to help visualize elbow extension:
- Push-Ups: As you push up, your elbow extends to straighten your arms.
- Throwing: Extending your arm to throw a ball involves significant elbow extension.
- Reaching for a high shelf: Extending your arm towards the shelf is a combination of shoulder and elbow extension.
Summary
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Straightening the arm at the elbow joint, moving the forearm away from the body |
| Opposite of | Elbow flexion (bending at the elbow) |
| Key Movements | Reaching, pushing, throwing |
| Bones Involved | Humerus (upper arm bone) and ulna (forearm bone) |
