Orthopedics Physical Therapy Overview of Joint Hyperextension By Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Quinn Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jonathan Cluett, MD on December 03, 2019 twitter linkedin Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams. Learn about our Medical Review Board Jonathan Cluett, MD Updated on January 17, 2020 Print Hyperextension is an excessive joint movement in which the angle formed by the bones of a particular joint is opened, or straightened, beyond its normal, healthy, range of motion. Such a movement may potentially make that particular joint unstable, and in turn, increase the risk and likelihood for dislocation or other potential injuries of the joint. Virojt Changyencham / Getty Images Occasionally, hyperextension is referred to as a normal movement, or exercise, that positions a body part or limb posteriorly (towards the back) of the anatomical position. An example of this type of exercise is the superman exercise where the back is hyperextended compared with a normal anatomic position. Range of Motion A majority of the human body’s joints allow for certain movements. A few particular joints, like joints in the skull, do not. Those joints that do allow for motion, such as the knee or ankle, have a predetermined range of motion. This range of motion is basically how far in each direction that joint can move or bend comfortably. For example, think of the neck. You can move your neck to a certain extent in each direction, but if you turn your neck too far in one particular direction injuries can occur. The range of motion of a joint is usually measured in degrees.Each individual joint has a separate range of motion. Normal Range of Motion for Each Joint Flexion The opposite of hyperflexion is flexion. Flexion is defined as the bending of a particular joint so that the bones that form that joint are pulled closer together. During flexion, the angle between the bones of limbs at a joint is decreased. Flexion typically occurs when muscles contract and the bones thus move the nearby joint into a curved position. Flexion shortens a joint angle and extension increases it. Exercise In terms of physical fitness, hyperextension is also a type of exercise that works that middle and lower back. A hyperextension exercise can be performed by lying face down on the floor and then lifting the arms and the torso off the ground while keeping the hips and lower body even and grounded. This movement stretches muscles in the lower back. There are also pieces of equipment commonly found in gyms that can be utilized to perform hyperextension exercises. If you are unsure of which pieces of equipment to utilize in order to perform hyperextension exercises, be sure to ask a member of the staff at your gym. Example: The whiplash injury caused him to hyperextend his neck. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Gudavalli MR, Cambron JA, McGregor M, et al. A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain. Eur Spine J. 2006;15(7):1070–1082. doi:10.1007/s00586-005-0021-8 Lawrence MA, Chin A, Swanson BT. Biomechanical Comparison of the Reverse Hyperextension Machine and the Hyperextension Exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(8):2053-2056. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003146