Move Better, Feel Better – Why Both Mobility and Flexibility are Important

What is Mobility?

Do you recall feeling pain after doing squats? Or maybe you just got up from your desk to grab a glass of water, and it takes a moment for the stiffness to go away? These can be signs that your mobility is lacking. Mobility is the ability for your body to move freely without feeling stiffness, discomfort, or pain. The body should have the capability to move through its full ranges of motion with both strength and control, without experiencing any of these feelings.

What is Flexibility?

Think about when you wake up in the morning, you get out of bed and try to get that really good stretch to undo a full 8 hours of laying in the same position. You go to reach your arms overhead and stretch and you realize you cannot get your arms all the way up. This is a sign that flexibility in the muscles is limited. Flexibility refers to the ability for a muscle to lengthen or stretch without any limitations.

The Difference Between Mobility and Flexibility

These two terms are commonly used interchangeably; however, they are not the same.

Flexibility determines the lengthening capability of the muscle. For example, being able to bend over and touch your toes tells that you have flexibility in the hamstrings.

Mobility determines if the joints can move through their full ranges of motion with both strength and control. For example, being able to perform a controlled Romanian dead lift requires mobility in the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

It is possible to have flexibility without mobility, and vice versa, so it is important to work on improving both for optimal movement.

What Happens When We Lack Mobility and Flexibility?

When we are lacking in both flexibility and mobility our muscles become tight, we have reduced ranges of motion, posture begins to break down, and as it becomes worse, we eventually have chronic pain with a higher risk of injury.

When areas in our body begin to feel stiff, our nervous system creates compensatory movement patterns, which puts a ton of stress on smaller muscle groups and smaller joints. This causes eventual pain in those areas and atrophy, or weakening of the muscles that are now stiff. When this chain reaction occurs, we start to notice an eventual breakdown in our posture. Examples of this breakdown include forward head posture, a rounded upper back, and a forward rotation of the pelvis. This begins a chain reaction through the entire body and eventually reduces quality of life. Meaning, normal activities of daily living become affected and there is a decrease of independence as we age.

How Carpe Diem Chiropractic Can Help

At Carpe Diem Chiropractic, we first begin with an exam and x-rays, if needed, to identify where the restrictions and imbalances are in the spine. This will allow us to tailor a plan to fix the root cause of the issue and restore proper movement in the spine. Some of the techniques that can be expected are, but are not limited to, spinal adjustments to create mobility into the spine, soft tissue and stretch therapy to loosen up the tight muscles, shockwave therapy to target the deeper musculature, laser therapy for any inflammation that has built up due to repetitive stress, and personalized exercise recommendations to strengthen the muscles that have become weak and to restore proper posture.

Are you struggling with poor mobility and flexibility? Give us a call today to schedule your free consultation to see if we are the right fit for you. (954) 368-5483