Koukistamisen

Koukistamisen is a Finnish noun formed from the verb koukistaa, meaning to bend or flex. It denotes the act or process of bending, typically by reducing the angle between two adjacent parts. The term is used in both everyday and specialist language, but it is most common in medical, ergonomic, and anatomical contexts.

In physiology and medicine, koukistaminen refers to joint flexion—the movement that decreases the angle between bones, such as knee flexion (polven koukistaminen) or elbow flexion (kyynärnivelen koukistaminen). The range of motion for a joint is often described in degrees of koukistus, and clinicians use these measurements to assess function, injury, or rehabilitation progress. Over- or repetitive koukistaminen can contribute to strain if not balanced by extension and conditioning.

In exercise and rehabilitation, training often targets improving koukistus strength and mobility. Examples include leg and hamstring routines that enhance knee flexion, or hip flexion exercises for greater movement range. In clinical settings, the ability to perform maximal koukistus is tested to determine stiffness, contractures, or postoperative outcomes.

In mechanical or manufacturing contexts, koukistaminen can also describe bending a material to form a curved or hooked shape. Though the more common terms in engineering are taivutus or bending, koukistaminen may appear in descriptive or technical language when a hook-like form is produced or when describing a bending action.

Etymology: from the verb koukistaa, with the noun-forming suffix -minen.

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