The terms mobility and flexibility are often used interchangeably, but there is actually a big difference between them. The terms have very distinct meanings:
Flexibility: This term refers to the muscle's ability without engagement (passively). Examples of flexibility include holding a static (non moving) stretch using body weight, props, or limb support.
Mobility: This term refers to the joints and their ability to move through a full range of motion. An example of mobility is lifting your leg in the air at a 90 degree angle and putting it back down again.
In order to have mobility we need to have flexibility plus the muscular strength and stability to be able to actively manipulate the joints. A good example of this is through dynamic (moving) stretches that work on strength, flexibility . and stability at the same time. Flexibility needs to be accompanied by strong , mobile joints to have an overall health benefit. Things like lack of daily activity, stress, and sleep patterns can have a negative impact on our mobility at any age.
What are some of the benefits of mobility?
Injury prevention: By moving a joint through its range of motion using dynamic stretches, muscle balance improves and the risk of injury is reduced.
Improving Posture: Joint immobility can lead to postural issues due to the fact that there is instability around the joints due to lack of strength of the muscles surrounding the joint. Common postural problems like slouched shoulders, a compressed neck, or an arched spine can lead to chronic pain issues in the neck, lower back, and shoulders.
Increasing Ease of Movement: The mobility of our joints controls and coordinates the basic movements that we do in our everyday life. Lack of joint mobility makes active movement difficult without discomfort. Working on joint mobility will help to train muscles to become more flexible.
Reducing Stress: Moving dynamically can be more powerful than static stretches in reducing stress. A mixture of techniques including dynamic movements, meditation, breathing, and mindfulness referred to as sophrology has been shown to help reduce stress.
Physical Independence:Joint mobility decreases as we age. When working on mobility, sooner is better than later. The natural mobility of the joints in our body begins to decrease at around 30 years of age. Incorporating regular mobility training into your routine will help to keep your joints healthy and less restricted which leads to prolonged physical independence as we age.
The takeaway is this - it is more beneficial to emphasize improving your mobility as opposed to just focusing on flexibility. Incorporating mobility exercises (especially dynamic ones) will provide the strength and stability to improve posture and lead to greater range of motion as we age.
Check out some examples of hip mobility exercises in the following video from the Kore Video Library:
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