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Flexibility is the popular term for the ability to easily bend an object or the ability to adapt to different circumstances. However, in various professional fields, more precise terms are used. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Look up flexibility in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Bend in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In physics, a physical body (sometimes called simply a body or even an object) is a collection of masses, taken to be one. ...

Physiology

In the physiology of vertebrates, including humans, the measurement of the achievable distance between the flexed position and the extended position of a particular joint or muscle group is called its "flexibility", but this is more properly called its range of motion or range of movement. In this sense, the flexibility of a joint depends on many factors, particularly the length and looseness of the muscles and ligaments due to normal human variation, and the shape of the bones and cartilage that make up the joint. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. ... Range of motion or (ROM), as used in the medical and weightlifting communities, is the achievable distance between the flexed position and the extended position of a particular joint or muscle group, or more precisely, the measurement of that distance. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... A ligament is a short band of tough fibrous connective tissue composed mainly of long, stringy collagen fibres. ... Grays Anatomy illustration of a human femur. ... Cartilage is a type of dense connective tissue. ...

Flexibility, or suppleness, is also a more generalized term used to compare the relative range of motion of all joints of an individual with a standard. The ability to achieve a full range of movements – to turn, stretch, twist and bend – without any stiffness, aching or suffering a spine or joint injury is defined as suppleness.

Medical conditions such as arthritis can decrease flexibility, while Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can increase flexibility. Exercise increases the amount of flexibility in a joint, while decreasing the amount of resistance. Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. ... Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of rare genetic disorders affecting humans and domestic animals caused by a defect in collagen synthesis. ...

Those who practice gymnastics (especially rhythmic gymnastics), dance, figure skating, martial arts, body toning, yoga, cheerleading and contortion rely on functional flexibility (increased range of motion with strength and control) to perform their actions. Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, split leaps, aerials and cartwheels. ... Rhythmic gymnasts from Greece in the 2000 Sydney Olympics Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which single competitors or pairs, trios or even more manipulate one or two apparatuses: Ball, Clubs, Hoop, Ribbon, and Rope. ... Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) generally refers to movement used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. ... Figure skating is an ice skating sporting event where individuals, mixed couples, or groups perform spins, jumps, and other moves on the ice, often to music. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... “Exercise” redirects here. ... Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Contortionist performing Contortion (sometimes contortionism) is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. ...

Benefits

Suppleness or flexibility is an important part of a healthful life. Being supple means that you can reach up to take an item down from a bookshelf, for example, or bend down to tie your shoe laces, without feeling that your movements are restricted in any way. When you are young, you tend to take suppleness for granted. But as and when you start growing older, you need to spend a bit of time enhancing and maintaining your suppleness.

Anyone can start a daily routine of simple stretches at any age to restore or increase that flexibility to your muscles as well as joints. Some studies show that you are never too old to reverse the reduced level of suppleness that comes with the age. It really doesn’t matter as to how long it has been building up.

How To Achieve Flexibility

Flexibility can be temporarily increased by regular stretching of the muscles either by performing specific exercises or by actively participating in activities that take the joints through their full range of movement and lengthens the muscles. Muscles are wrapped in connective tissues, which, rather like chewing gum, are resistant to being stretched when cold. For this specific reason, it is very important to attempt stretching exercises only when your muscles are warm. When stretching, a slight degree of tension should be felt in the muscle. Attempting to stretch too far may cause physical discomfort or even pain and can further result in an injury. So in order to maintain your suppleness, stretches need to be held for at least 10-40 seconds which gives connective tissues enough time to lengthen. This article is about stretching as a form of physical exercise. ...

Stretching regularly can result in flexibility that is retained for as long as 48 hours, depending on the duration and depth (effective relaxation) of the stretch. This component is important to avoid injuries during leisure activities^{[citation needed]}.

Relative flexibility

Since muscles which go through grow in size but not in length, when one muscle grows through hypertrophy its opposite side muscle (the antagonist) will have to lengthen, and absolute flexibility is the term to describe a muscle's length, in and of itself, where relative flexibility is the flexibility of a joint, as compared to its antagonistic movement^[1].

For example, the calf muscle extends the foot towards the ground (plantarflexion) and the shin muscle flexes the foot in the opposite direction (dorsiflexion). If a person's calf is overly strong it will not be as flexible as the opposite shin muscle, and plantarflexion will be exhibit relatively inflexible as compared to dorsiflexion using the person's weaker, but more flexible shin muscle. The calf or gastrosoleus is a pair of muscles—the gastrocnemius and soleus—at the back of the lower human leg. ... The word ground has several meanings: The surface of the Earth Soil, a mixture of sand and organic material present on the surface of the Earth Ground (electricity), in electrical engineering, something that is connected to the Earth or at the voltage defined as zero (in the US, called ground... Peronaeus longus and peronaeus brevis labeled at bottom left. ... The tibialis anterior is a muscle that spans the length of the tibia. ... In zootomy, several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ... Tonic in physiology refers to a muscle which is predominantly toned. ...

Systems theory

In systems theory, which has applications in diverse fields including biology, ecology, psychology, economics, and management, the flexibility of a system is related to its adaptation to a new environment or its resilience in recovering from a shock or disturbance. Systems theory is a transdisciplinary/multiperspectual scientific domain that seeks to derive and formulate those principles that are isomorphic to all fields of scientific inquiry. ... An adaptive system is a system that is able to adapt its behavior according to changes in its environment or in parts of the system itself. ... A biological adaptation is an anatomical structure, physiological process or behavioral trait of an organism that has evolved over a period of time by the process of natural selection such that it increases the expected long-term reproductive success of the organism. ... For the band see Resilience (band) Resilience generally means the ability to recover from (or to resist being affected by) some shock, insult, or disturbance. ...

One example is the attribute of flexibility in engineering. Flexibility is used as an attribute of various types of systems. ...

References

1. ^ "Back to the Basics for the New Year", by Paul Chek