Body & Balance Studio
Posture scan

Bent Elbow (Resting Flexion)

Also known as: elbow flexion contracture, flexed-elbow carriage.

What it is

A resting bent elbow is a carrying angle held in flexion when the arms hang relaxed. Persistent flexion can reflect short elbow flexors or a protective/habitual pattern; large asymmetries are worth a clinician’s look.

How to spot it

From the front/back the forearm hangs at an angle rather than near-vertical. The scan measures the resting elbow angle.

Muscles involved

Muscles involved in Bent Elbow (Resting Flexion), front view — typically tight muscles in coral, typically weak in teal
Front (anterior) view
Muscles involved in Bent Elbow (Resting Flexion), back view — typically tight muscles in coral, typically weak in teal
Back (posterior) view

Coral = typically tight, teal = typically weak. Anatomical illustration from Z-Anatomy (derived from BodyParts3D), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Typically tight: biceps brachii, brachialis

Typically weak: triceps brachii

How to correct it

  • Gentle elbow-extension mobility and triceps activation.
  • Address shoulder/scapular posture that can bias arm carriage.
biceps brachiibrachialistriceps brachii

Educational wellness content — not a diagnosis. See a clinician for pain or concerns. Run a posture scan to check your own alignment.