Flintoff, 31, has endured regular injury since making his test debut in 1998 against South Africa, when he was criticized for being overweight as a flabby 20-year-old.
Having got his body in shape and gone on to be man of the series against World Cup holders Australia in 2005, he was rarely fit for a prolonged period. This has ultimately ended a test career that seemingly had more to offer.
"I've had four ankle operations and knee surgery my body is telling me things, I'm actually starting to listen now," Flintoff told reporters on Wednesday at Lord's, where he hopes to play the second Ashes test against Australia in his farewell series.
"I can't keep just playing games here and there, waiting until I'm fit. Not just for my own sanity but my family's. They have to live with me, as I've gone through two years of rehab in the past four. It's not been ideal so I'm going to draw a line under it and after this series concentrate on one-day international cricket and Twenty20s.
"We've got a (50-over) World Cup coming up in 2011 and I would like to play on after that as well. There is a lot of cricket left in me. I want to be the best in the world in that form of the game."
Flintoff has played 76 tests, though one of those was for a World XI against Australia. He currently has 3,708 runs in tests at an average of 31.69, with five centuries the last of which was four years ago against Australia.
He has been relied upon more in recent years for his hostile bowling, which has accrued him 219 wickets at 32.51. Despite being recognized as one of the world's best bowlers, he has just two five-wicket hauls in a test innings.
"If you look through his bare statistics they probably don't read that flatteringly, but as far as someone who has an impact on how a team plays and performs, then he's got to be right up there," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.
England skipper Andrew Strauss agreed that Flintoff, nicknamed Fred or Freddie, has been a better player at least as a bowler than his statistics suggest.
"He's had a dramatic impact for England over the last few years," Strauss said. "He's a been a bowler in world cricket who opposition batsmen don't like facing even though his stats do not show that.
Flintoff said his best cricket in tests came from the 2004-05 tour of South Africa, which was preceded by England's unprecedented eight consecutive test wins.
"From the South Africa series and for the two or three years after that was probably the best cricket I've played," Flintoff said. "Since then I've missed two years out of four, so my career has been curtailed by injury. I've never managed to get the rhythm of playing cricket day in and day out."
Although his finest moments came in England's Ashes-winning series in 2005, there were other notable performances, such as leading a side minus several senior players to victory in Mumbai in 2006 and with it a series-equalling draw.
He said in the news conference after that match he had inspired the team by playing 'Ring of Fire' by American singer Johnny Cash at the tea break on the final day. His presence alone normally lifted his team, and spectators.
"He seemed to be one of those guys that everyone enjoyed playing with," Ponting said. "He played the game in great spirit. With everything he does he's always got a smile on his face.
"When we got him at his best in 2005, he was a match-winning player for them throughout that series. I've enjoyed every contest I've had with him. I'll probably have a few more before my career's over as well."
While Flintoff said he cannot be any more motivated for his farewell matches because the Ashes is the ultimate; winning the Ashes at The Oval in the fifth test in August would be "the perfect end", he said.
"Test cricket will miss him," said Strauss, who also maintained England is not a one-man team. "We hope he will go out on in a way that befits a player of his ability."
