What does the term flexor refer to?

The term "flexor" refers to a muscle that functions to bend a joint, effectively decreasing the angle between the bones that are connected at that joint. For example, when you bend your elbow or knee, the flexor muscles in those areas are contracting, allowing for that bending motion. This action is crucial for various movements and activities such as walking, gripping, and reaching.

In contrast to other choices, such as straightening a joint, bringing the legs together, or raising the arm at the side of the body, these actions either involve the extension of joints or other movements that do not specifically pertain to flexion. Therefore, recognizing that flexors are integral to bending motions clarifies why this answer is the accurate representation of the term's definition.